NBC4 anchor Doreen Gentzler interviews Fernando Bianco, MD, Head of GW's Prostate Program, and Harold Frazier, MD, Clinical Director of GW's Urologic Oncology Program, about the free prostate screenings that were offered by The George Washington University Cancer Institute at the NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo.

The NFL Playoffs were in full swing, but nevertheless, on a weekend in January nearly 700 men got themselves off their couches and went on the offense against prostate cancer. At the 15th Annual NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo they received free prostate screenings courtesy of The George Washington University Cancer Institute.

The GW booth included six private examination rooms where doctors, residents and medical students performed digital rectal exams. Prior to the exams, volunteers and GW staff assisted the men with a health survey and a simple blood test to measure PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels.

"We made a huge contribution to our community," says Harold A. Frazier, MD, Clinical Director of GW's Urologic Oncology Program. "We were extremely pleased that we could help so many men."

"Through our ongoing screening program we have demonstrated our commitment to addressing a serious problem that affects many men here in the city," says Fernando J. Bianco, MD, who heads GW's Prostate Program. "At the Expo men took charge of their own health and, remarkably, more than 90 percent of the attendees noted that they felt comfortable having a prostate exam as a regular aspect of their healthcare."

The Washington, DC area has one of the country's highest mortality rates resulting from prostate cancer. African- American men are two-thirds more likely to develop the disease than Caucasian men, and the mortality rate among African-American men is two and a half times higher, according to GW Cancer Institute Executive Director Steven Patierno, PhD.

After the free screenings at the Expo, each man received a pair of "I'm the Man" boxer shorts to commend him for taking charge of his prostate health. The GW Cancer Institute has teamed up with NBC4 to encourage metropolitan area residents to get screened for prostate, breast and colorectal cancers.

This Father's Day, Make a Potentially Lifesaving Call.
Free prostate screenings are available every Friday by appointment from 8:30 AM to 11 AM at the Ambulatory Care Center, 22nd and I Streets, NW, 2nd floor (near the Foggy Bottom Metro). The test includes a digital rectal exam and a simple blood test to measure prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, a blood protein that may indicate cancer. Each participant will learn his PSA results immediately. This test should not be used for a second opinion. This Father's Day, Make a Potentially Lifesaving Call

Individuals eligible for the screening are:

• Men between 50 and 75 years old who have not had prostate cancer
• African-American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer who are between 40 and 75 years old

Schedule a Screening
The free screenings are offered by GW Hospital, GW Cancer Institute and GW Medical Faculty Associates. To schedule an exam, please call 202-741-3106.

900 23rd St., NW, Washington, DC 20037 (202) 715-4000