Aug. 29, 2025 | The prostate gland is part of a man’s reproductive system. Located in front of the rectum and under the bladder, the prostate surrounds the urethra, the tube through which urine flows. It is responsible for producing the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. A healthy prostate is about the size of a walnut. As men age, the prostate may get bigger and block the urethra or bladder. This may cause trouble urinating or sexual problems. The condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, and although it is not cancer, surgery may be needed. The symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia or of other problems in the prostate may be like symptoms of prostate cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 313,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2025. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, claiming more than 35,000 lives this year alone.

Aug. 29, 2025 | The body is made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells grow and produce more cells as needed to keep the body healthy and functioning properly. Sometimes, however, the process goes wrong, with cells becoming abnormal and forming more cells in an uncontrolled way. These extra cells form a mass of tissue called a 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. In its early stage, prostate cancer needs the hormone testosterone to grow and survive. 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. When cancer spreads from its original location in the prostate to another part of the body, it is called metastatic prostate cancer, which can cause severe pain and broken bones.

Aug. 29, 2025 | Researchers can’t explain why one man gets prostate cancer and another doesn’t but they have been able to identify some risk factors associated with the disease. It is extremely rare in men under age 40, but the risk increases greatly with age. More than 60 percent of cases are diagnosed in men over age 65. The average age at the time of diagnosis is 67. Race is another major risk factor. In the U.S., the disease is much more common in African American men than in any other group. 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. The exact role of diet is not clear. Men who eat a lot of red meat or high-fat dairy products appear to have a slightly higher chance of getting the cancer. These men also tend to eat fewer fruits and vegetables. Doctors aren’t sure which of these factors is responsible for raising the risk.

Aug. 29, 2025 | Prostate cancer usually doesn’t produce any noticeable symptoms in its early stages, so many cases aren’t detected until the cancer has spread beyond the prostate. For most men, the disease is first detected during a routine screening, such as a prostate-specific antigen test or a digital rectal exam. When signs do occur, they depend on how advanced the cancer is and how far it has spread. Early signs and symptoms of the disease can include urinary problems, caused when the prostate tumor presses on the bladder or on the tube that carries urine from the bladder. However, urinary symptoms are much more commonly caused by benign prostate problems, such as an enlarged prostate or a prostate infection. Less than 5 percent of cases of prostate cancer have urinary problems as the initial symptom. These problems may include trouble urinating, starting and stopping and decreased force in the urine stream.

Aug. 29, 2025 | There are three basic options for treating early stage prostate cancer. The two active treatment options, surgery and radiation, can often lead to a cure when used alone. Men with advanced stages of the disease usually need a combination of therapies to achieve a high likelihood of cure or disease control. The third option, active surveillance or watchful waiting, is not actually a form of treatment but a form of close patient management. A fourth option, hormone therapy, is usually reserved for older men and for treatment of men with a more advanced form of the disease. Chemotherapy is for the most part used for the treatment of men with advanced or recurrent prostate cancer that does not respond to hormone therapy. Which form of treatment a patient receives usually depends upon their age and life expectancy and any concerns he may have about the side effects of therapies, such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence.