Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the United States. Yet, when detected in its early stages, prostate cancer can be effectively treated and cured. What are its causes and symptoms? How is it diagnosed? The following information should help answer such questions.

What is the prostate?

The prostate gland is a small, walnut-sized gland in men. It is located below the bladder and surrounds the upper portion of the urethra. The prostate gland lies in front of the rectum, and its posterior surface can be felt during a rectal examination. The function of the prostate is to secrete a fluid that makes up part of the semen. The prostate gland may be a source of many health problems in men, the most common being benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis and cancer.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is a significant health-care problem in the United States due to its high incidence. It is the most common non-skin cancer in men affecting approximately 234,000 American men each year with approximately 27,000 of these men dying each year. Prostate cancer is different from most cancers in that an appreciable percentage of men, particularly older men with a shorter life expectancy, may have a silent form of this cancer—it will not cause symptoms or progress beyond the prostate gland during their lifetime. Sometimes this cancer can be small, slow growing and present limited risk to the patient. Clinically important prostate cancers can be defined as those that threaten the well-being or life span of a man.