Prostate cancer is the male version of breast cancer. It's not preventable and early detection is the key to survival. The prostate is a chestnut-sized gland in the make pelvic area. It plays a role in generating seminal fluid that helps transport sperm. For unknown reasons, the gland can enlarge and cancer can develop.
Some cancers are fatal.
While most prostate cancer occurs in older men, it can strike younger men as well. Half of prostate cancer deaths occur in men over the age of 75. Fewer than 5 percent of deaths occur in men who were under 60 at diagnosis. But rectal exams often don't catch cancers until after they have spread - at which point it may be too late to cure. Then came the PSA test, a blood test that measures the level of prostate specific antigen.