Prostate exams save transwomen's lives!
- Prostate Cancer affects 1 in 6 people born with a prostate.
- Early prostate cancer has no symptoms. But if caught early enough, nearly 100% of prostate cancer patients survive.
- Even after sex-reassignment-surgery, transwomen still need to get screened for prostate cancer annually (beginning at age 40 for African Americans, beginning at 50 for others).
Frequently Asked Questions
But won't taking estrogen prevent me from developing prostate cancer?
Feminizing hormones cause the prostate to shrink, which reduces the risk of cancer, but it is not known how much the risk is reduced. There have been reported cases of prostate cancer in MTFs taking hormones both
before and after genital surgery.
But as a post-op MTF, I'm safe from prostate cancer, right?
The prostate is not removed as part of genital surgery but it is moved slightly forward, and the new vagina is located between the rectum and the prostate. It is not clear how this affects the usual rectal check of a prostate. Some doctors have speculated that it might be better to check the prostate through the MTF’s vagina instead of via the rectum, but there is no evidence to support this.
Where can I learn more about prostate cancer?
These resources on prostate cancer are not trans-specific.
- Prostate Cancer Foundation: www.prostatecancerfoundation.org
- National Prostate Cancer Coalition: www.fightprostatecancer.org
Highlighted Resources:
- Trans people and Cancer (PDF) is a helpful comprehensive look at cancer issues for trans folks.
- Access to Care and Cancer Disparity Fact Sheet (PDF) is a summary of information on health disparities for transgendered and transsexual people, published by the American Cancer Society.
-
Cancer Risks in the Trans Community article by Justin Cascio
More LGBT Cancer Resources
National LGBT Cancer Network: http://www.cancer-network.org/
Out With Cancer: www.outwithcancer.com
LGBT Cancer Survivor Program: lgbtcancer.com
Prostate Cancer
