The American Cancer Society estimates that about 179,300 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 37,000 men will die of this disease during 1999.
Most prostate cancers develop in older men and grow very slowly.
But some prostate cancers can grow quickly and spread to other parts of the body, causing symptoms and, sometimes, death. Treating men with such cancers can help them to live longer and can prevent or relieve symptoms. One reason why prostate cancer is so confusing to both doctors and patients is that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish men who will benefit from treatment from others in whom the side effects of treatment will outweigh the benefits. Although prostate cancer is a very serious disease, it is one that a multidisciplinary team of health-care professionals can treat. But not all men with prostate cancer should receive the same treatment, and, in some cases, no treatment may be the best option.