The Nature of Prostate Cancer Prostate cancer, the second-leading cause of death among men and the leading cause of male cancer death in Connecticut, still flies under the radar. How much do you know about this potentially deadly disease? My husband, sister-in-law and I sat together with my father-in-law as he breathed his last breaths. Dying from complications from prostate cancer, Paul endured dozens of difficult, painful and intrusive treatments. His quality of life had been poor for many years. He accepted this bravely, but when the end came -- which was five years ago this past Saturday -- it was a relief. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 2012 will see the diagnoses of another 241,740 new cases of PC. And although prostate cancer affects as many men as breast cancer does women, there is a lack of public awareness of this life-changing disease that must be addressed. Breast cancer advocacy organizations have done an outstanding job raising funds and awareness for their cause. As many readers are no doubt aware, October saw an outpouring of pink ribbons in sports, on billboards and in the news as survivors, family members and volunteers stepped forward to help end this terrible disease. Yet aside from skin cancer, the CDC reports that PC is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in men. African Americans and men with close hereditary ties to PC are more susceptible to the disease. Thankfully, hospitals have stepped up screening efforts, and as a