What is Prostate Cancer?
by Beth G. Hodges, MD

What is prostate cancer? Prostate cancer is a condition in which cells within the prostate gland grow uncontrollably, creating small tumors at first inside the gland, then if not treated, spreading outward to other parts of the body. It most commonly spreads to lymph nodes, the rectum, and the bones.

If found while still confined to the prostate gland itself, the cancer has a greater than 90% cure rate if appropriately treated. If the cancer has already spread at the time the diagnosis is made, the cure rate drops significantly.

One in six men will eventually develop prostate cancer, and if skin cancer is excluded, it is the most common type of cancer affecting men. African American men develop prostate cancer in western civilizations 61% more often than do Caucasion men. Read more about the causes of prostate cancer here.

Diagnosis of prostate cancer is made by biopsy. Small needles are inserted into suspicious areas of the gland under ultrasound, usually right in the doctor's office. Read more about diagnosing prostate cancer here.

Treatments for prostate cancer depend on the aggressiveness of the tumor, the staging of the disease, and the overall health of the patient. Read more about treatments for prostate cancer here.

Published - October, 2009