Prostate cancer is the one of the most common forms of non-skin cancer that is a second leading cause of death among American men. As per reports from the American Cancer Society (2014 statistics), about 2, 33, 000 men are diagnosed with this disease every year and more than 29,000 men die from this disease. It is estimated that every 2.3 minutes, one case of prostate cancer is diagnosed and one man dies every 18 minutes from the same. Generally, this condition affects older men above the age of 65 years. An annual Medicare coverage is offered for preventive prostate cancer screening or prostate specific antigen (PSA) test and DRE (digital rectal exam) once every 12 months for all men aged 50 years and above.
For medical billing purposes, physicians must use the following medical codes –
HCPCS Codes: G0102 – Prostate Cancer Screening; Digital Rectal examination, and G0103 – Prostate Cancer Screening; Prostate Specific Antigen Test (PSA)
ICD-9 code: V76.44 – Screening for malignant neoplasms of prostate
There are different signs and symptoms associated with this disease. The type and the intensity of the symptoms may differ from one person to another. Some of the potential risk factors associated with this condition include age, dietary habits, genetics, prostate inflammation and obesity.
Screening Tests – Importance
Many prostate cancers are not aggressive and do not cause any harm during a man’s lifetime. But there are certain types which can cause severe complications leading to deaths. So regular screening is essential to analyze the occurrence of this disease at an early stage. The American Cancer Society recommends the need for men to consider prostate cancer screening at an early age (right from their early 50s or sooner).
Regular and standard screening tests help to identify the correct symptoms at an early stage and help to better manage the disease without any complications.
Obesity Increases Prostate Cancer Risk in Men – Finds Study
According to a new study, men who are obese or overweight have higher chances of developing aggressive and deadly prostate cancer. The study findings were reported after an analysis of the global scientific research into the lifestyle factors and prostate cancer in the World Cancer Research Fund’s Continuous Update Project (CUP).
Reports from the World Cancer Research Fund found a strong link between weight gain and this type of cancer. It is estimated that more than 10% of advanced cases of this disease in the UK that cause death can be prevented if men maintained a healthy weight.
As part of the study, researchers analyzed about 104 studies involving more than 9.8 million men and about 1, 91,000 cases of cancer related to the prostate gland. The key findings of the study include –
- It was found that the evidence on the harmful and beneficial effects of certain foods on the disease risk was much less than previously thought.
- The evidence that certain foods such as tomatoes (containing lycopene) reduce the risk of this disease has been downgraded from "strong" to "no conclusion possible".
- There is still limited evidence that a diet higher in dairy products increases the disease risk.
The findings of the study signify the need for men to follow a healthy lifestyle combining regular exercise and healthy diet to prevent the symptoms of aggressive prostate cancer. Often, this disease does not show symptoms in its early stages (when it is most treatable) and therefore patient awareness is crucial. Physicians, while screening patients, should discuss the potential risk associated with obesity and how it will directly lead to this condition.
Medical billing and coding for prostate cancer screening can be accurately done with the support of reliable medical billing services. Outsourced services ensure that physicians have more time on their hands to interact with patients and help them adopt the necessary preventive measures and healthy treatment choices.
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