A Simple Question, a Life-saving Screening

A simple question at Frank Savereux’s annual exam may have saved his life. At 51 years old, he went to his yearly check-up, and his primary care provider asked him: “Would you like to do a PSA screening today?” Savereux’s immediate response was, “What’s that?”

A blood test called a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test is a quick and easy test that measures the level of PSA in the blood. Elevated PSA levels are a potential indication of prostate cancer. The blood draw can provide vital information for early detection. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. and early detection can increase the chances of survival. It’s recommended that men 50 or older are screened for prostate cancer.

Savereux agreed and got the PSA test, which only took about a minute. His provider noted results usually take about a week to come back.

A week later, the results were in. Savereux’s PSA was slightly elevated. They did the blood draw again to confirm the results. Again, it came back slightly elevated. 

That’s when Savureux’s primary care provider referred him to Paul Kozlowski, MD, a urologist at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH). Dr. Kozlowski said the elevated PSA didn’t mean Savereux had prostate cancer. A biopsy would provide clear answers. 

“The next day, I was driving on my way to work when the phone rang,” said Savureux. “It was Paul. My heart sort of skipped a beat. I remember him saying, ‘Frank, it is cancer,’ and I had to remind myself I wasn’t dreaming. This was real.”

Savureux underwent surgery, radiation, and hormone therapy.

“I’m really grateful for the team I had taking care of me,” he said. “I had a great experience at Virginia Mason, and the team really made me feel like they really cared about me.”

At VMFH, a multidisciplinary team of experts develops care plans to meet the unique needs of each patient. 

Today, Savureux is back to zero–no detection of cancer. 

“When you’re screening for any disease, the purpose is to catch it early. The earlier cancer is caught, the better the outcome,” said Dr. Kozlowski. “A few minutes today to get a screening can give you years in the future.”

By sharing his story, Savureux hopes other men will feel empowered to get screened for prostate cancer. 

“It’s an easy test,” he said. “If my doctor wouldn’t have asked, I probably would have put it off, and then who knows where I’d be. It’s important to get it done. At the very least, it will give you peace of mind.”

Savureux will be honored at this year’s Seattle Kraken’s Hockey Fights Cancer game on Nov. 20 at Climate Pledge Arena. Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) and the Seattle Kraken are excited to team up to fight cancer through early detection and risk reduction throughout the month of November, a part of a national initiative launched by the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players' Association. At the game, male Kraken fans can get a simple blood draw to detect elevated levels of PSA, a potential marker for prostate cancer.