| The most common type of cancer diagnosed in men | | | | patients are men over 65. |
| is prostate cancer. The prostate is walnut-sized gland | | | | * Diet. Diets high in red meat or high-fat dairy |
| found only in men. According to the American Cancer | | | | products seem to increase the risk. As with all |
| Society, about 218,890 new cases are expected to | | | | cancers, diets that include low-fat meat and dairy |
| be diagnosed in 2007 and about 27,050 men will die | | | | produces and five or more servings of fruits and |
| of prostate cancer. But the death rate is decreasing, | | | | vegetables seem to decrease the risk. |
| perhaps in part because of early diagnosis. | | | | Prostate cancer usually grows slowly so early |
| In the early stages a patient may not exhibit any | | | | diagnosis can save lives. Because it usually grows so |
| symptoms. However, after it is advanced, the patient | | | | slowly, many elderly men who have died were found |
| may experience: | | | | to have had the disease and were not aware of it. |
| * Frequent urination | | | | Because of this, many doctors treat it by not |
| * A weak flow of urine | | | | treating it at all. This is called expectant management |
| * Burning urination | | | | or watchful waiting. This may be recommended if it is |
| * Painful ejaculation | | | | not causing any symptoms and has not spread |
| * Blood in the urine semen. | | | | Prostate cancer patients are often treated with |
| A common test to detect prostate cancer requires a | | | | traditional therapies such as radiation. Surgery may be |
| doctor to test the amount of prostate-specific | | | | recommended. Hormone therapy, where patients are |
| antigen in the blood. A digital rectal exam will tell a | | | | given medications to reduce the number of male |
| doctor if there are bumps in the prostate that may | | | | hormones in the body, has been recommended for |
| be cancerous. | | | | some patients. |
| It is recommended the men 50 and older should be | | | | Treatments vary from patient. Factors in determining |
| screened yearly with both the digital rectal exam and | | | | treatment include age, the stage of the cancer and |
| blood testing. The American Cancer Society | | | | the patient's overall health. |
| recommends that men at high risk be tested | | | | If when the prostate cancer is found it is confined to |
| beginning at age 45. African Americans and those | | | | the prostate or has only spread to nearby areas, the |
| who have a close relative who was diagnosed before | | | | five-year survival rate is nearly 100 percent, according |
| age 65 are considered to be at high risk. | | | | to the American Cancer Society. If it has spread, the |
| Other risk factors for prostate cancer are: | | | | 5-year survival rate is about 33 percent. About ten |
| * Age. According to the American Cancer Society, | | | | percent of all related deaths in men are from |
| about two out of every three prostate cancer | | | | prostate cancer. |