Introduction

Prostate cancer is a condition that involves the male reproductive tract, and therefore affects men only. After skin cancer, it is the most common cancer in American men. In 2008, more than 186,000 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Although men at any age are at potential risk, prostate cancer is primarily a disease of aging. Prostate cancer is most common in men over 55, with 70 as the average age at diagnosis.

The prostate gland is an internal male organ that lies near the neck of the bladder and can be felt through the wall of the rectum (the section of the large intestine that opens outside of the body through the anus). Prostate cancer develops as malignant (cancerous) cells in the prostate gland grow and reproduce at an abnormal rate. If untreated, the cancerous cells may eventually spread to other areas of the body.

Other names for cancer of the prostate gland are prostatic cancer, prostatic carcinoma (carcinoma of the prostate) and adenocarcinoma of the prostate. "Carcinoma" means cancer of the cells that make up the linings of organs. "Adenocarcinoma" means cancer of the glandular cells that exist within certain organs, including the prostate. Glandular cells normally function to release substances important to the well-being of the body.

The exact causes of prostate cancer are not known. All men are at potential risk. Risk factors for prostate cancer that have been identified include older age, a high-fat diet with inadequate fiber, obesity, smoking, high testosterone levels, and exposure to certain chemicals.