It is estimated that one in every 10 American men will develop prostate cancer at some time in his life. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 184,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year alone. Although younger men can develop prostate cancer, the risk increases with age. The average age of the prostate cancer patient is 72. For unknown reasons, African-American men are at a higher risk than other men.
Prostate cancer is categorized in four stages.
The cancer is too small to be felt during a rectal exam. As it grows, the cancer may spread to the tissue surrounding the prostate and to the seminal vesicles. In locally advanced cancer, nearby organs such as the bladder may also be affected. For patients with Stage D prostate cancer, treatment options have improved, giving hope for a more comfortable, longer life and even the possibility of remission, a period when your disease is not progressing. In its earliest stages, prostate cancer is a slow-growing tumor.