September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Introduction

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men followed by Lung cancer, which is the first. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 186,320 new cases diagnosed with prostate cancer in United States in 2008, and 28,660 will die from the disease. More than 70 percent of all prostate cancer cases are diagnosed in men over age 65. While 12,000 men in Pennsylvania will learn they are afflicted, statistics show that the mortality rate is getting smaller because more men are getting tested as a regular part of their health care. Prostate cancer can be cured if detected early and can be treated even in its later stages. The death rate for prostate cancer is going down as the disease is being detected earlier. Screening tests (PSA and DRE), while not perfect, can detect prostate cancer in its early stages.

In an effort to increase public awareness about prostate cancer, UPMC Cancer Centers joins other organizations nationwide to promote Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. UPMC developed these pages as a resource for learning more about prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer risk factors

Anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease is called a risk factor. Though the precise cause of prostate cancer is unknown, the following factors may increase the likelihood of developing prostate cancer:

• Age – More than 75 percent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are over the age of 65.
• Race – African American men have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer than caucasians.
• Nutrition – A diet higher in animal fat may add to the risk.
• Family history – Genetic factors may predispose one as being at high risk.

Prostate cancer facts

• Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men (other than non-melanoma skin cancer).
• Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men (lung cancer is the first).
• The prostate is a male sex gland and part of a man’s reproductive system. About the size of a walnut, it is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum.
• It is known as a silent disease because prostate cancer can be present and spread beyond the prostate by the time symptoms show up.
• More than 9 out of 10 prostate cancers are found in the local and regional stages (local means it is still confined to the prostate; regional means it has spread from the prostate to nearby areas, but not to distant sites, such as bone). When compared to men the same age and race who do not have cancer (called relative survival), the 5-year relative survival rate for these men is nearly 100%.
• Clinical evidence is mounting regarding antioxidants and their role in helping to shield against prostate cancer by neutralizing harmful molecules known as oxygen-free radicals. Eating tomatoes and tomato sauce which are high in the anti-oxidant lypocene may cut the risk of prostate cancer.

Sources: American Cancer Society; National Cancer Institute

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