Prostate cancer is the most common cancer - other than skin cancer - found in men. It is estimated that one out of every 10 men will develop prostate cancer at some point in his life. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 189,000 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2002.

When caught early, prostate cancer is highly treatable. Thanks to the advent of precise diagnostic tools and effective treatment options, men with prostate cancer are living longer, healthier lives with fewer treatment-related side-effects.

The prostate is a small gland - usually about the size of a walnut, although it enlarges with age - that lies just under the bladder and surrounds a portion of the upper urethra. The prostate and the seminal vesicles above it are responsible for producing the fluid that nourishes sperm. In early stages, prostate cancer is confined to the gland itself. As the cancer grows, it spreads to the tissue around the prostate, into the seminal vesicles (sac-like structures attached to the prostate), and then into adjacent lymph nodes and organs. When left untreated, prostate cancer can metastasize -- or spread -- to the bones and distant organs.

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Because prostate cancer does not cause symptoms in the early stages, it can be missed until it has reached an advanced stage. It is therefore vitally important that men over 50 (or younger men with one or more risk factors) undergo annual prostate cancer screenings and seek medical help promptly if they begin to experience any symptoms.