Prostate Cancer Facts

One in every six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in his lifetime

Almost every male is at some degree of risk for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men

African-American men have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer than Caucasians. Rates of prostate cancer in the U.S. are 60 percent higher among African-American men, and the mortality rate is two-and-a-half times that of Caucasian men

Men with a father or brother who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer have more than twice the risk of being diagnosed.

At a minimum, evey man over 40 years of age should have a conversation with his primary care physician about his personal risk for prostate cancer.

A regular test consisting of a physical examination of the prostate and a PSA blood test is recommended.

Prostate cancer is usually slow-growing, so unless your doctor tells your otherwise, you should have plenty of time to learn and consider your options.

The latest data from the American Cancer Society expects that there will be 217,730 new cases of prostate cancer this year and 32,050 deaths in 2010.