Prostate Cancer

The prostate is a small gland in men located behind the base of the penis. As men age, the cells of the prostate may change to form tumors or other growths. Some of these growths may be non-cancerous, as in the case of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) when the prostate enlarges, or in the case of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) when the pattern of prostate cells appears atypical. However, when abnormal prostate cells grow out of control and start to invade other tissues, they are then considered to be cancer cells. Cancer that starts in the cells of the prostate is referred to as prostate cancer and is the most common cancer among American men. Over time, prostate cancer may grow into nearby organs or spread to bones or organs in distant parts of the body in a process termed metastasis. When prostate cancer is detected early, at a time when it is still confined to the prostate, there is a higher chance of successful treatment.