Happy Father's Day!

With Father's Day on June 21, now is the perfect time to learn about what you can do to protect you and your loved ones against prostate cancer.

What is Prostate Cancer?

Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer found in men. In the United States alone, it is estimated that there will be over 192,000 new cases this year. The prostate is a gland found only in men and is located between the bladder and rectum. It starts developing before birth and keeps growing until adulthood. Prostate cancer occurs when cells within the prostate gland grow uncontrollably and create tumors. In most cases prostate cancer develops very slowly, and some men will never even know that they have it.

Who's at Risk?

For the most part, prostate cancer develops in men age 50 and over, and two out of every three cases occur in men over 65. African American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer, although reasons for this are still unknown. Genetics and a family history of prostate cancer also increase the risk of developing the disease.

What YOU Can Do

Studies have shown that eating a diet lower in red meats and fats, and higher in fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help reduce the risk for developing prostate cancer in some cases.

Prostate cancer can be detected early by taking a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal exam (DRE).The American Cancer Society recommends that men age 50 and over should talk to their doctor about testing and decide what is best for them.

Men at high risk for developing prostate cancer, African American men and men with a close relative diagnosed before age 65, should talk to their doctor at age 45. Men with an even higher risk, those with several close relatives diagnosed at an early age, should talk to their doctor about testing even earlier.

Good News

The good news about prostate cancer is that when detected early, the survival rate is excellent! For all men with prostate cancer that were treated more than five years ago, the relative five-year survival rate is 100 percent, the relative 10-year survival rate is 91 percent and the relative 15-year survival rate is 76 percent. With new methods for finding and treating prostate cancer, the outlook for successful treatment is only getting better!

For more information about prostate cancer visit www.cancer.org.