Prostate cancer may sound like a distant worry, but it is actually the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men in more than half the countries worldwide. It begins in the prostate, a small, walnut-shaped gland just below the bladder that helps produce semen and surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. When cells in this gland start dividing abnormally and out of control, they can form a cancer that may stay in place or spread to nearby tissues and even distant parts of the body.
Not all prostate cancers behave the same.
Some are localized, meaning the cancer has not spread beyond the prostate. Others are regional, where it has grown into nearby structures or lymph nodes, or advanced, where it has spread to distant organs. In the United States, most men are diagnosed when the cancer is still localized, and at that stage, the 5‑year survival rate is nearly 100%. However, for men whose cancer is already advanced at diagnosis, the 5‑year survival rate drops dramatically, to around 30%.
Certain men are at higher risk.
Age is the biggest factor, with the average age at diagnosis being 66. Risk is also higher for those who are obese, have a family history of prostate cancer, or are of African descent. With more than 1.4 million new cases and 375,000 deaths in a single year globally, this is a disease every man—and every family—should take seriously.
Things to know: learn your family history, talk to your doctor about screening, and pay attention to changes in urinary or sexual health. Call to action: if there’s a man you love—yourself included—start a conversation about prostate health today.
