In spite of the prevalence of prostate disease, men lack awareness about prostate health and are reluctant to seek treatment. For this reason, the Prostate Cancer Education Council has been coordinating Prostate Cancer Awareness Week for over a decade. The prostate is a male reproductive gland located in front of the rectum and just below the bladder. About the size and shape of a walnut, the prostate wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder. The main function of the prostate is to produce fluid for semen, which transports sperm. The three most common conditions affecting the prostate are benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis and prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that most often begins in the outer part of the prostate. As the tumor grows, it may spread to the inner part of the prostate. Treatment options for prostate cancer include watchful waiting, hormonal therapy, radiation, brachytherapy and surgery. Two tests critical to detecting men at higher risk of prostate cancer and other prostate diseases are the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) and the Prostate Specific Antigen test (PSA test). A high PSA can indicate a greater chance of developing prostate cancer. However, a high PSA does not necessarily mean cancer is present; many men with BPH also have elevated PSA levels.

If prostate cancer is detected early, there is a wider range of treatment options and the chance for recovery is much greater. More than half of all prostate cancer cases are found before the cancer has spread to other area.

More information on prostate disease, risk factors, symptoms, detection, and treatment can be found at www.pcaw.com.