Facts on Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. Most types of prostate cancer grow slowly and need no treatment for many years. Other types spread quickly and are very aggressive. As with most cancers, chances of survival are much greater if the disease is detected and treated early.

Causes

• The exact cause of prostate cancer is unknown. Why some types are more aggressive than others has also not been determined.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of prostate cancer are usually not present until the cancer is well advanced. When early symptoms are present, they usually are associated with urinary problems such as difficulty urinating, trouble starting and stopping the stream and decreased force of the stream.

Treatment

• Treatment for prostate cancer depends on how far advanced the cancer is and how far it has spread. Different options are available for different stages of the cancer; the most common are surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy and chemotherapy.

Fact

• Prostate cancer affects approximately one out of six men in the United States.

Considerations

• If detected and treated early, prostate cancer has over a 90 percent cure rate.