Joe Cunningham: “in a way, I am going to talk about health care, but I am going to talk about personal health care. The reason is that I…”

“in a way, I am going to talk about health care, but I am going to talk about personal health care. The reason is that I am a prostate cancer survivor. Three weeks ago I had prostate cancer and it was removed out of my body. I would like to go through the process and describe how many men and women, both with breast cancer and prostate cancer, can have a good diagnosis. That diagnosis is based on early detection. Many HMOs do not offer a PSA, which is an indicator for an antigen produced by prostate cancer. TRICARE for veterans does not necessarily offer a PSA. Let me tell you why that is important. First of all, about a month ago Dr. Eisold here in the Capitol, who is the attending physician, gave me my annual physical. I have had an annual physical for the last 30 years. Every year for 20 years in the military they demanded it as a pilot, and then, after that, I know the importance of an annual physical. This time they wanted to do a prostate check. I am over 50 years of age, and it should be checked every year. Well, they did the regular prostate check, and they found nothing. There was no cancer, there were no lumps, there were no lesions, and there was no metastasized area. Then the doctor looked at a blood test, which was painless, and in that blood test, a PSA, which, again, is a check for an antibody that prostate cancer produces, and I had a slight elevation in the level; not real high, but just a slight elevation.”