Prostate Cancer Defined
The body is made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells grow, divide, and produce more cells as needed to keep the body healthy and functioning properly. Sometimes, however, the process goes wrong -- cells become abnormal and form more cells in an uncontrolled way.

These extra cells form a mass of tissue, called a growth or tumor. Tumors can be benign, which means not cancerous, or malignant, which means cancerous. Prostate cancer occurs when a malignant tumor forms in the tissue of the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. In its early stage, prostate cancer needs the male hormone testosterone to grow and survive.

The prostate is about the size of a large walnut. It is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate's main function is to make fluid for semen, a white substance that carries sperm.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among American men. It is a slow-growing disease that mostly affects older men. In fact, more than 65 percent of all prostate cancers are found in men over the age of 65. The disease rarely occurs in men younger than 40 years of age.

Sometimes, cancer cells break away from a malignant tumor in the prostate and enter the bloodstream or the lymphatic system and travel to other organs in the body.

When cancer spreads from its original location in the prostate to another part of the body such as the bone, it is called metastatic prostate cancer -- not bone cancer. Doctors sometimes call this "distant" disease.

Today, more men are surviving prostate cancer than ever before. Treatment can be effective, especially when the cancer has not spread beyond the region of the prostate.

Quiz
1. Cancer is a disease in which cells divide and grow normally.

FALSE is the correct answer. Cancer is a disease in which cells become ABNORMAL and keep dividing and forming more cells without order or control. Under the microscope, a cancer cell will usually appear larger and less regular in shape than a normal cell.
2. Prostate cancer often grows or spreads very quickly.

FALSE is the correct answer. Prostate cancer is usually a slow-growing disease that mostly affects older men. In fact, more than 65 percent of all prostate cancers are found in men over the age of 65.
3. Metastatic prostate cancer is cancer that has spread from the prostate to another part of the body.

TRUE is the correct answer. Prostate cancer may spread to other organs of the body, such as the bones, brain, or liver. When it does this, doctors say it has metastasized. When cancer spreads from its original location in the prostate to another part of the body such as the brain, it is called metastatic prostate cancer, not brain cancer.
4. Today, more men are surviving prostate cancer than ever before.

TRUE is the correct answer. Today, more men are surviving prostate cancer than ever before. Since the 1990s the number of deaths from this disease has been dropping. In fact, a man is more likely to die with prostate cancer than from it because it usually occurs at an age when other conditions like heart disease and stroke cause death.

Causes and Risk Factors
Scientists don't know exactly what causes prostate cancer. They cannot explain why one man gets prostate cancer and another does not. However, they have been able to identify some risk factors that are associated with the disease. A risk factor is anything that increases your chances of getting a disease.

Age is the most important risk factor for prostate cancer. The disease is extremely rare in men under age 40, but the risk increases greatly with age. More than 65 percent of cases are diagnosed in men over age 65. The average age at the time of diagnosis is 70.

Race is another major risk factor. In the United States, this disease is much more common in African American men than in any other group of men. It is least common in Asian and American Indian men.

A man's risk for developing prostate cancer is higher if his father or brother has had the disease.

Diet also may play a role. There is some evidence that a diet high in animal fat may increase the risk of prostate cancer and a diet high in fruits and vegetables may decrease the risk. Studies to find out whether men can reduce their risk of prostate cancer by taking certain dietary supplements are ongoing.

Scientists have wondered whether an enlarged prostate, a condition also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH, might increase the risk for prostate cancer. They have also studied obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, radiation exposure, and a sexually transmitted virus to see if they might increase risk. But at this time, there is little evidence that any of these factors contribute to an increased risk.

Quiz
1. Prostate cancer

A. is rare in older men.
B. affects mostly older men.
C. often occurs in men under 40.

B is the correct answer. Prostate cancer is found primarily in older men. More than 65 percent of cases are diagnosed in men over age 65. The average age at the time of diagnosis is 70. The disease is extremely rare in men under age 40.

2. A man's risk of prostate cancer goes up if

A. his father or brother has had the disease.
B. he is active in sports.
C. he uses vitamins.

A is the correct answer. A man's risk for developing prostate cancer is higher if his father or brother has had the disease. There is no evidence that being active in sports or taking vitamins increases a man's risk for prostate cancer.

3. In the United States, prostate cancer is much more common in

A. Asian American men.
B. American Indian men.
C. African American men.

C is the correct answer. In the United States, prostate cancer is more common in African American men than in any other group of men. In fact, African American men have the highest rates of this cancer in the world. African American men are also far more likely to die of the disease than men in other groups.

4. A diet that is high in fat

A. will definitely increase a man's risk of getting prostate cancer.
B. may increase a man's risk of getting prostate cancer.
C. has no effect on a man's prostate cancer risk.

B is the correct answer. Some studies suggest a link between diet and prostate cancer, but the studies are not conclusive. They show that prostate cancer is more common in populations that consume a high-fat diet -- particularly one high in animal fat -- and in populations that have diets lacking certain nutrients. It is not known whether a diet low in fat will prevent prostate cancer.


Symptoms and Diagnosis
Most cancers in their early, most treatable stages don't cause any symptoms. Early prostate cancer usually does not cause symptoms.

However, if prostate cancer develops and is not treated, it can cause these symptoms:

a need to urinate frequently, especially at night
difficulty starting urination or holding back urine
Possible symptoms of prostate cancer:

inability to urinate
weak or interrupted flow of urine
painful or burning urination
Possible symptoms of prostate cancer:

difficulty in having an erection
painful ejaculation
blood in urine or semen
pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.
Any of these symptoms may be caused by cancer, but more often they are due to enlargement of the prostate, which is not cancer. If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor or a urologist right away to find out if you need treatment. A urologist is a doctor who specializes in treating diseases of the genitourinary system.

The doctor will ask questions about your medical history and perform a digital rectal exam to try to find the cause of the prostate problems. In this exam, the doctor feels the prostate through the