The prostate is a gland found only in men. It is located underneath the bladder, and it wraps around the urethra (the tube through which urine leaves the body). Only about the size of a pea in a child, during puberty the gland grows to about the size of a walnut. It is responsible for making seminal fluid. Except for skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in American men. It is estimated that one in six men will get the disease, and almost 30,000 men die of it every year. For most men, prostate cancer grows slowly. Most men with prostate cancer do not die of this illness, but of some other unrelated cause or health problem. However, this disease is becoming more common in younger men, which is more likely to require treatment to stop the progression. Early prostate cancer is localized, or confined to the prostate gland; when it is in this localized state, it is highly treatable.

For more information on prostate cancer, visit University of Minnesota Physicians Cancer Care at Fairview