EASTON — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among men in the United States aside from non-melanoma skin cancer. About one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, which develops mainly in older men and in African-American men.

About six cases in 10 are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older, and it is rare before age 40. To promote early detection of prostate cancer, the Cancer Program at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) has scheduled free screenings in two locations during September.

A prostate cancer screening and forum will be held on Sept. 23, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Mount Olive AME Church, 24852 Lambs Meadow Road in Worton. The free prostate cancer screenings will be provided by UM SRH and Christopher Parry, DO, of UM Shore Medical Group – Urology.

To register for the forum, dinner and screening at this location, call Andrea Edwards, RN, Kent County Health Department, 410-778-7970.

On Sept. 24, free prostate cancer screenings will be offered at UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Easton, 490 Cadmus Lane, Suite 104. Scheduled from 5-8 p.m., these screenings are coordinated by the Cancer Program in partnership with the Talbot County NAACP and the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center.

Participating physicians include UM Shore Medical Group – Urology physicians R. Duane Cespedes, MD; John Foley, MD; Andrew Riggin, MD, and Christopher Runz, DO. To register, call the Cancer Center, 410-820-6800.

According to Nina Weisenborn, clinical research nurse, UM Shore Regional Health Cancer Center, providing access to preventive care and screenings is an important priority “Our goal is to increase survival chances through screenings that facilitate early diagnosis so that evaluation and treatment can be implemented.”

Those interested in being screened are encouraged to discuss the testing with their primary care providers to determine if the PSA blood test will benefit them in the early detection of prostate cancer and other prostate health issues.

The screenings in both locations are open to the public. Uninsured and underinsured are welcome to participate. Pre-registration is required for screening at either location as space is limited.