Prostate cancer is the most common cancer (after non-melanoma skin cancers) among American men and is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in men after lung cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates that about 232,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed and 30,350 men will die of this disease in the United States in 2005. In general, the risk of getting prostate cancer is greater with increasing age. Most men over the age of 50 will have some experience with prostate disease -- with either an enlarged prostate or cancer. Fortunately, the majority of prostate cancers grow slowly and if detected early are highly curable.


Last reviewed January 2008

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