Download Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is the most common
type of cancer in American men.
Approximately, one out of every six
American man will develop prostate
cancer in his lifetime. The prostate,
a gland found only in men, is about
the size of a walnut and is located
just below the bladder in front of the
rectum. The job of the prostate is to
produce fluid that makes up a part of
the semen. As a man ages, the prostate
tends to increase in size, which can
cause the urethra to narrow and
decrease urine flow. Most of the time,
prostate cancer grows slowly; however,
prostate cancer sometimes can grow and spread quickly.
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Different people have different symptoms for prostate cancer. Some men do not have
symptoms at all. Some symptoms of prostate cancer are:
• Difficulty starting urination
• Weak or interrupted flow of urine
• Frequent urination, especially at night
• Difficulty emptying the bladder completely
• Pain or burning during urination
• Blood in the urine or semen
• Pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that does not go away
• Painful ejaculation
Are there any risk factors for getting prostate cancer?
Research has found risk factors that increase your chances of getting prostate cancer.
These risk factors include:
• Age: the risk of developing prostate cancer increases with age. Most
men with prostate cancer are older than 65 years of age; it is rare
in men younger than 45. Men age 75 years and older have a one in
nine chance of developing prostate cancer.
• Race: for unknown reasons, prostate cancer is more common
among African-American men than Caucasian men. AfricanAmerican men are twice as likely to die from the disease.
• Family History: men with close family members (father or brother)
who have had prostate cancer are at higher risk, especially if their
relatives were young at the time of diagnosis.
How do medical providers screen for prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer screening means looking for cancer before it causes symptoms. This helps
to find cancer at an early stage when it may be easier to treat. Tests that are commonly
used to screen for prostate cancer are:
• Digital Rectal Exam (DRE): a doctor or nurse will insert a gloved, lubricated finger
into the rectum to feel the prostate. This allows the examiner to estimate the size of the
prostate and feel for any lumps or other abnormalities.
• Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA): the PSA test is a blood test that measures the level
of PSA in the blood. PSA is a substance made by the prostate. The levels of PSA in
the blood can be higher in men who have prostate cancer. The PSA level may also be
elevated in other conditions that affect that prostate.
Should I get screened for prostate cancer?
Not all doctors agree that prostate cancer screening is right for all men because there isn’t
enough scientific evidence to show that prostate cancer screening saves lives. The potential
benefit of prostate cancer screening is finding cancer early, when treatment works best.
Possible risks of screening include false positive test results that show there might be a
cancer when there really isn’t, and treating cancers that may not affect your health if left
untreated. Treatment can have serious side effects.
To decide whether prostate cancer screening is right for you, discuss the pros and cons
with your health care provider and the people important in your life.
What are some other facts about prostate cancer?
Not counting some forms of skin cancer, prostate cancer in the United States is:
• the most common cancer in men, no matter your race or ethnicity.
• the second most common cause of death from cancer among white, African American,
American Indian/Alaskan Native, and Hispanic men.
• the fourth most common cause of death from cancer among Asian/Pacific Islander men.
• more common in African-American men compared to white men.
• less common in American Indian/Alaskan Native and Asian/Pacific Islander men
compared to white men.
• more common in Hispanic men compared to non-Hispanic men.
In 2007 (the most recent year for which numbers are available):
• 223,307 men in the United States were diagnosed with prostate cancer
• 29,093 men in the United States died from prostate cancer
Resources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Prostate Cancer Information
National Cancer Institute, Prostate Cancer Information
American Cancer Society, Prostate Cancer Information