Cancer of the prostate gland, a walnut-sized organ surrounding the urethra in men, is the most common cancer among men in North America, after skin cancer. For unknown reasons, the prevalence in black men is nearly twice as high as in white men. Prostate cancer risk increases with age, and some evidence suggests that high-fat diets may increase the risk of developing the diseases.

                                 Most prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas, cancers that arise in glandular cells of the prostate’s epithelial tissue. Prostate cancers usually progress slowly and produce no symptoms in the initial stages. Eventually, the tumor may enlarge the prostate gland, pressing on the urethra and causing painful or frequent urination and blood in the urine or semen. Sometimes pain in the lower back, pelvis, or upper thighs may signal that prostate cancer cells have spread to the ribs, pelvis, and other bones. All these symptoms, however, may have other causes, such as infection of the prostate or prostate enlargement, a natural result of the aging process. The prognosis for men diagnosed with prostate cancer is excellent if it is caught and treated early.