Prostate cancer occurs when cells in the prostate gland grow and change in an uncontrolled manner. Because the prostate gland is only found in men, only men can have prostate cancer. The prostate gland is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum and produces part of the fluid found in semen. Most often, prostate cancer is a very slow growing cancer. However, sometimes it grows quickly and spreads to other parts of the body.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American men.
In 1999 nearly 180,000 American men were diagnosed with the disease, and 37,000 men died from prostate cancer. Many men with prostate cancer do not have any symptoms and do not know that they have it. Therefore, the American Cancer Society recommends that men at the highest risk for prostate cancer be screened for the disease every year. Screening involves a PSA blood test and a digital rectal exam. Who Love Them.