Among gay men and for most GLBT cancer patients, the subject of prostate cancer is complicated by the intersecting stigma of both cancer and homosexuality.

“Most people do not want to talk about prostate cancer and most straight people do not want to talk about homosexuality,” said Michael Lamont, a prostate cancer survivor and the president of Prostate Support Advocates (PSA), Inc. Lamont said it is not surprising the overwhelming majority of personal and professional publications about prostate cancer are written by, for and about heterosexual men and their female partners.

“If prostate cancer, in general, is off most people’s radar screen, then gay men with prostate cancer are a truly invisible species,” said the 51-year-old City Heights resident.

In May 2007, Lamont received a phone call from his Urologist saying a previous biopsy tested positive for cancer. Three months later Lamont had a Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy to remove the prostate and surrounding tissue.

During the time of diagnosis and the surgery, Lamont searched the Internet and went to support groups in order to get information and talk with men who were either living with prostate cancer or who had one of the various treatments.

“Although the Internet is a great place to find information, it can be very overwhelming. I found plenty of information about the medical aspect of the subject, but there was very little information about what a prostate cancer patient faces emotionally,” he said, noting he wanted to change that so others would not have to face a diagnosis with fear.

After much research, reading and attending lectures on prostate cancer, Lamont said he realized there is no need for anyone to die of prostate cancer. That inspired him to start PSA along with his mother Virginia Farley, a breast cancer survivor.

“Although prostate cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in men, it is highly treatable and often considered curable if diagnosed early,” he said.

Early diagnosis is often the key between life and death.

Lamont said there is no proof prostate cancer is any more prevalent in the gay community than in the straight community.

There is, however, proof gay men are less likely to go to the doctor than straight men.

A survey by the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law at UCLA estimates gay seniors are half as likely to have medical coverage as their straight counterparts.

This means they are less likely to get tested and less likely to be diagnosed, Lamont said.

“There is a myth that if you have anal sex you are more prone, but it is likely linked with diet, ethnic background and heredity,” he said, noting high fat and high red meat diets are strongly linked with the disease.

Black men are much more prone to prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer Society, which says it strikes them at an earlier age and is much more aggressive.

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are several symptoms that one might have prostate cancer, including a sensation that your bladder doesn’t empty, blood in your urine, painful ejaculation, general pain in the lower back, hips or upper thighs, persistent bone pain, as well as loss of appetite and weight.

Still professionals urge that symptoms are not always present, especially during the first stages of prostate cancer, Lamont said.

Additionally, many symptoms of prostate cancer mimic Benign Prostate Hyperplasia, an enlargement of the prostate gland. Most men over 50 will have some enlargement of the prostate.

But Lamont urges men to be proactive and get tested.

“Have a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test in order to establish a baseline,” Lamont said. “Chart your annual PSA tests to see if it is rising rapidly. If it doubles within a year, this is a red flag, but don’t be alarmed. Take charge of your body and let an urologist, not your primary care physician, determine the results.”

Earlier this month, PSA held a fund-raiser at the home of San Diego resident Bobbie Buchanan to introduce the organization to the community. Approximately 50 supporters showed up and raised more than $1,000 for the organization.

The Imperial Court de San Diego made a $500 contribution to help support the cause.

“The Imperial Court has a long history of reaching out to assist those in need, so it is with great joy that we donated this money to help bring awareness to the fight of prostate cancer so many members of our community often face in silence,” said “Big” Mike Phillips, president of the Imperial Court de San Diego board of directors.

“For so long the community has focused its efforts on chronic illnesses such as HIV/AIDS. In the lesbian community, the focus has turned to breast cancer, yet we cannot forget the other chronic illnesses that members of the GLBT community face,” he said.

Lamont said he hopes the organization will eventually grow into a permanent home and become a one-stop shop to include a variety of services for pre- and post-surgery support and mental health counseling for patients and family members of those with prostate cancer.

In the meantime the PSA offices are located in Lamont’s home.

There is also a gay men’s prostate cancer group at The Center’s S.A.G.E. office (3138 Fifth Ave.) every Monday at 6:30 p.m.

“It was started by a gentleman and the American Cancer Society a few years ago and is one of only three such groups in the country,” he said, noting with continued support from the community he is confident that will soon change.

For more information about Prostate Support Advocates, call 619-284-1648 or visit www.prostatesupportadvocates.org.