Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is a common disease that occurs only in men. Approximately 190,000 men in the US are diagnosed with this form of cancer each year. It is the 2nd leading cause of death from cancer in men in this country. While it is a common cancer and does lead to significant mortality overall, most men with malignant disease of the prostate die of other causes, not of the cancer. This is because many prostate tumors are slow growing and less likely to be destructive and to spread to other parts of the body. However, in some more aggressive types, it can be more difficult to treat and have a greater impact on the patient's life.

Cancer of the prostate occurs only in men because the prostate gland, a walnut-sized gland at the base of the bladder, surrounding the urethra, is only present in men. Women therefore cannot develop this cancer.

Not all enlargement of the prostate gland is cancer. In fact, as men get older, the gland often increases in size considerably without becoming malignant. This condition, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is common and affects many elderly men. It can cause symptoms, some of which are similar to the symptoms caused by cancer of the prostate, but it should not be confused with cancer. It does not develop into cancer, although BPH and cancer in the prostate can occur simultaneously.

See below for additional information about this form of cancer, its symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment.

Additional Info

What is Prostate Cancer? Learn more about the specifics of this form of cancer. What is it and what parts of the body does it affect?

What Causes It? While all the specific causes of this cancer are not fully understood, there are some risk factors that are known to influence one's risk of developing this cancer at some point in their life.

What is Prostrate Cancer? You may hear (or mis-hear) the term prostrate cancer and wonder what it means. What is prostrate cancer and how does it relate to cancer of the prostate?

What is the Prostate? Learn more about the prostate gland, what it does, where it is and how it is affected by disease.

What are the Symptoms? Patients with prostate cancer can present with various symptoms depending on the size and invasiveness of the tumor.

How Is It Diagnosed? Diagnosis of this cancer may involve both screening tests done to detect the disease early, when there are no symptoms, and more specific focused tests and studies to confirm the presence of cancer in the prostate and its effects on the body.

Treatment: Learn about the various types of treatments offered for cancer of the prostate.