Prostate cancer is cancer that grows in prostate gland. The prostate is a small, walnut-sized structure that makes up part of a man's reproductive system. It wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body.
Alternative Names
Cancer - prostate
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
The cause of prostate cancer is unknown, although some studies have shown a relationship between high dietary fat intake and increased testosterone levels. When testosterone levels are lowered either by surgical removal of the testicles (castration, orchiectomy) or by medication, prostate cancer can slowly get better.
There is no known association with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages and is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over 75 years old. Prostate cancer is rarely found in men younger than 40.
Men at higher risk include African-America men older than 60, farmers, tire plant workers, painters, and men exposed to cadmium. The lowest number of cases occurs in Japanese men and those who do not eat meat (vegetarians).
Prostate cancers are grouped according to how quickly they spread and how different they are from the surrounding prostate tissue. This is called staging. There are several different ways to stage tumors, a common one being the A-B-C-D staging system, also known as the Whitmore-Jewett system:
Stage A: Tumor is not felt on physical examination, and is usually detected by accident after prostate surgery is done for other reasons.
Stage B: Tumor is only in the prostate and usually detected during a physical exam or with a blood test (PSA test).
Stage C: Tumor has spread beyond the prostate but is not in the lymph nodes.
PSA (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen. It is a protein with a sugar molecule attached that is found in prostate cells. It can be detected at a low level in the blood of all adult men. This article discusses the blood test to measure the amount of PSA in a man's blood. Reviewer: Mark A. Greenstein, D.O., F.A.C.O.S., Urologist, Somerset Medical Center in Somerville, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/01/2007
Prostate removal (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
The prostate gland is an organ at the base of the bladder in men. The tissues in the gland may need to be surgically removed or destroyed if the prostate is swollen. See also: Benign prostatic hypertrophy Reviewer: Marc Greenstein, DO, Urologist, North Jersey Center for Urologic Care, Denville, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/15/2006
Enlarged prostate (2 images)
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(Doctor-Reviewed information)
The prostate is a male reproductive gland that produces the fluid that carries sperm during ejaculation. It surrounds the urethra, the tube through which urine passes out of the body. An enlarged prostate means the gland has grown bigger. Prostate enlargement happens to almost all men as they get older. As the gland grows, it can press on the urethra and cause urination and bladder problems. An enlarged prostate is often called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or benign prostatic hypertrophy. It is not cancer, and it does not raise your risk for prostate cancer. Reviewer: Marc A. Greenstein, D.O., F.A.C.O.S., Urologist, Somerset Medical Center in Somerville, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/01/2007
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