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Prostate Cancer

The prostate is a male sex gland about the size of a walnut. It is just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Its main purpose is to produce fluid that carries sperm during orgasm. The prostate gland needs male hormones to function. The tube that carries urine, called the urethra, runs through the prostate. (click on image for larger view)

Statistics

These are some statistics from the American Cancer Society:

  • The most common cancer in men, excluding skin cancer
  • American Cancer Society estimates there will be 241,000 new cases in 2011
  • Risks include family history and increases with age
  • African-American men are at more risk than Caucasian men
  • Second leading cause of death in men with about 34,000 estimated deaths in the United States