What Is the Prostate, and How Common Is the Cancer?
It’s a walnut-size gland that lies at the base of the bladder and surrounds the urethra. In the United States prostate cancer is one of the two most frequently diagnosed cancers in men (the other is skin cancer). The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that one man in seven will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. However, only about one in 39 will die from the disease.
Risk increases with age. Men 65 or older account for most of the cases diagnosed. African American men appear to be at greater risk than white men, and an individual’s odds may be higher than average if the disease runs in his family.
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