When I was a kid, I used to wait for the Sunday paper just so I could flip to the sports section and study the baseball player averages. I loved tracking how players like Carl Yastrzemski were doing—watching the trends and the data behind the game.
It makes me smile to see his grandson, Mike, now playing for our hometown Braves.
Looking back, I realize that my love for those Sunday morning stats is exactly why I love looking at lab work today. To me, these markers aren’t just clinical numbers on a page; they are the “batting averages” for our health. They allow us to see the trends and make adjustments before the game is on the line.
In our (Y)Elder community, we talk about staying as well as possible so we can play our vital part in life and continue to show up for the people and purposes that matter most to us. Just like a manager uses data to keep his players in the game longer, I use data to help us build a roadmap for qualitative longevity.
Instead of guessing, I use a specific set of clarity markers to track continued well-being in taking a proactive approach relative to preventing pathologies related to cancer:
The Male Cancer Panel: Strategic Markers for Staying Well
- CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen): This is a protein typically found in very low levels in adults. As someone who has navigated a colon cancer diagnosis, I’ve learned that tracking CEA is a vital way to monitor for cellular changes, particularly in the colon and digestive tract.
- CA 125 (Cancer Antigen 125): While often associated with other health contexts, in a male panel, this marker is a helpful tool for spotting inflammatory patterns or potential cellular stress in the lungs or gastrointestinal system.
- CA 19-9 (Cancer Antigen 19-9): I use this marker to gain insight into the health of the pancreas and bile ducts. It helps us see “behind the scenes” of the digestive system before symptoms might even appear.
- DHEAs (Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate): This is a precursor hormone produced by your adrenal glands. I track this because it’s a foundational indicator of your “vitality baseline”—it shows us how your body is handling stress and supporting your immune system as you age.
- hCGß (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, Beta Subunit): In male health, this marker is used as a highly sensitive tool to monitor for specific cellular shifts. It’s part of the “early warning system” that lets us choose proactive data over guesswork.
- PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen): This is the standard for monitoring prostate health. By establishing your baseline now, we can track trends over time, which is much more valuable than a single, isolated snapshot.
An important note on these markers: Because this is called a Male Cancer Panel, it’s easy to jump to conclusions if a number comes back elevated. It’s vital to understand that a high marker doesn’t automatically mean cancer—it often highlights other underlying conditions, shifting metabolic patterns, or inflammation that we need to address to refine your wellness strategy.
If you’ve been considering getting your labs checked out, this is the final call to establish your baseline with this specific focus.
Just as you may track batting averages or even your financial numbers, why not track your health numbers
Contact me, if you’re ready to get your own baseline or if you have any questions.
For Our Greater Health,
Dr. Steve
