Urologists And Henry Schein Team Up To Urge Families To Put A Prostate Cancer Check-Up On The Back To School List For Dad

MELVILLE, N.Y., Sept. 10, 2012 / 3BL Media / PRNewswire/ -- The Large Urology Group Practice Association, representing more than 1,800 urologists nationwide, and Henry Schein Cares, the global corporate social responsibility program of Henry Schein, Inc., are partnering together to raise awareness among families across the country of the importance of putting prostate cancer check-ups on the calendar for the men in their lives. September –  for many families, back-to-school time for the kids – is also Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. To create more public awareness about the importance of early detection of prostate cancer to save men's lives, LUGPA and Henry Schein have launched an educational initiative to put a prostate cancer check-up for Dad on the family's back to school list.

"Prostate cancer can affect any of the men in our lives – our fathers, grandfathers, husbands, brothers, uncles, sons, friends and neighbors – but with early detection this disease is almost always curable," said Dr. Deepak A. Kapoor, president of the Large Urology Group Practice Association and president of Advanced Urology Centers of New York. "As children return to school, this is a great time to remind men to have a discussion with their doctor to determine if they need a prostate check-up. Together we can help ensure that generations of men are there for not only their children's back-to-school, but for their grandkids as well."

According to Dr. Kapoor, one out of six American men will have prostate cancer in their lifetime; the incidence is even higher for African-American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin malignancy diagnosed in men; with early detection efforts, the death rate from prostate cancer has decreased by over 40% in the United States.

The largest study ever performed on screening for prostate cancer, the European Randomized Study for the Screening of Prostate Cancer (ERSPC), recently released its updated findings (N Engl J Med 2012; 366:981-990) demonstrating that for all patients there was a 21% survival advantage, and more importantly, for those with the longest follow-up (over 10 years), the advantage of screening increased to 38%. "Unfortunately, there are no symptoms during the early stages of prostate cancer, when the disease is most treatable," added Dr. Kapoor. "Despite improvement in patient education and awareness, many men still fall through the cracks; prostate cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. The tragedy is that when the disease is caught early, the 10-year survival is almost 99% ... we all need to come together to ensure that our message is heard: early detection saves lives."

Visit lugpa.org/b2s for more information.

About Large Urology Group Practice Association

LUGPA represents 95 large urology group practices in the United States, with more than 1,800 physicians who make up more than 20 percent of the nation's practicing urologists. LUGPA and its member practices are committed to best practices, research, data collection, and benchmarking to promote quality clinical outcomes. Visit lugpa.org/default.aspx for more information.

About Henry Schein, Inc.

Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC) is the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, medical and animal health practitioners.  The Company also serves dental laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics, and other alternate care sites.  A FORTUNE 500® Company and a member of the NASDAQ 100® Index, Henry Schein employs nearly 15,000 Team Schein Members and serves approximately 775,000 customers.

The Company offers a comprehensive selection of products and services, including value-added solutions for operating efficient practices and delivering high-quality care.  Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a selection of more than 90,000 national and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 100,000 additional products available as special-order items.

The Company also offers its customers exclusive, innovative technology solutions, including practice management software and e-commerce solutions, as well as a broad range of financial services. 

Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 26 countries.  The Company's sales reached a record $8.5 billion in 2011, and have grown at a compound annual rate of 18 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995.  For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at www.henryschein.com.

About Henry Schein Cares and the Henry Schein Cares Foundation

Henry Schein Cares, Henry Schein's global corporate social responsibility program, stands on four pillars: engaging Team Schein Members to reach their potential, ensuring accountability by extending ethical business practices to all levels within Henry Schein, promoting environmental sustainability, and expanding access to health care for underserved and at-risk communities around the world.   Health care activities supported by Henry Schein Cares focus on three main areas: advancing wellness, building capacity in the delivery of health care services, and assisting in emergency preparedness and relief. Firmly rooted in a deep commitment to social responsibility and the concept of enlightened self-interest championed by Benjamin Franklin, the philosophy behind Henry Schein Cares is a vision of "doing well by doing good."  Through the work of Henry Schein Cares to enhance access to care for those in need, the Company believes that it is furthering its long-term success.

Established in 2008, Henry Schein Cares Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization, works to foster, support, and promote dental, medical, and animal health by helping to increase access to care for communities around the world.  The Henry Schein Cares Foundation carries out its mission through financial and health care product donations that support health care professionals and community-based programs focused on prevention, wellness, and treatment; disaster preparedness and relief; and capacity building of health institutions that provide training and care.  To learn more about the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, please visit: www.hscaresfoundation.org.  The "Helping Health Happen Blog" is a platform for health care professionals to share their volunteer experiences delivering assistance to those in need globally. To read more about how Henry Schein Cares is making a difference, please visit our blog: http://helpinghealthhappen.org/.

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