Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in American men, excluding non-melanoma skin cancers.
Prostate cancer develops from the cells of the prostate gland. Its most common form, occurring in almost 99 percent of cases, is called prostatic adenocarcinoma. Many men also experience a condition known as prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, or PIN, which is a change in the microscopic appearance of prostate epithelial cells. PIN should be monitored on a yearly basis because it may lead to the development of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer grows relatively slowly, but may eventually spread to other parts of the body.
Risk Factors
All men should be aware of risk factors for developing prostate cancer. While the exact causes of this disease are unknown, research has found various factors that contribute to a person’s likelihood of developing prostate cancer.
- Age – The risk increases greatly after age 50.
- Race – African-American men are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men.
- Genetics – The chance of getting the disease is more than doubled if a man has one close relative with prostate cancer. The risk is even higher when more than one family member has developed prostate cancer, especially at a young age.
Signs and Symptoms
Like most other forms of cancer, early detection of prostate cancer is the key to saving lives. There are often few symptoms in the early stages. Some possible early warning signs of the disease are:
- Slowing or weakening of the urinary stream
- The need to urinate more often
When the cancer becomes more advanced, symptoms become more prevalent. Symptoms of advanced prostate cancer include:
- Blood in the urine
- Impotence
- Pain in the pelvis, spine, hips or ribs.
Survival Rate
The survival rate for men whose cancer has not spread beyond the prostate is almost 100 percent. And almost 92 percent of all men with prostate cancer survive at least five years, and 67 percent survive at least 10 years.
Survival rates depend on the treatment performed and whether or not the cancer has spread. If the cancer has spread from the prostate, the five-year survival rate is 31 percent.