We provide high quality, cost effective health care and related services that improve the health status of people in central Iowa. By Dr. Curtis Clark, Urologist at McFarland Clinic Each year, over 165,000 American men are told by their physicians they have prostate cancer. Like many types of cancer, early detection is important for successful treatment. Dr. Clark practices at McFarland Clinic in Ames and has staff privileges at Mary Greeley Medical Center.
Urologists use several tests to detect prostate cancer.
The prostate's size increases with age. As a result, so does the level of PSA it produces. When screening for prostate cancer, a urologist measures the level of a man's PSA and correlates it with his age. What the urologist looks for is a PSA level that is increasing faster than normal. That's why it's important for men to have a prostate examination and PSA test when they reach the recommended ages, so the physician will have a baseline measurement against which to compare future exam data.