FAQ's on Cancer

Prostate Cancer

The prostate is a male sex gland, part of a man's reproductive system. The prostate is about the size of a walnut. It is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Except for skin cancer, cancer of the prostate is the most common malignancy in American men. It is estimated that in 1999 in the United States nearly 179,300 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

In the majority of men with prostate cancer, it is very slow growing, and many, if not most, of these men will not die because of the prostate cancer, but rather will live with it until they eventually die of some other cause. Early prostate cancer is localized (confined) to the gland, and the majority of patients with localized prostate cancer have a long survival after diagnosis.