Did you know that after skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis in men? Around 161,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017, and nearly two thirds of them will be over the age of 65. Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States.

What is the prostate gland? The prostate is a walnut-sized gland in the male reproductive system. It surrounds the urethra, which is the tube that empties urine from the bladder. The prostate makes the fluid found in semen.

What are signs of prostate cancer? Signs of prostate cancer include:

• Weak or interrupted urine flow (“start and stop”)
• Sudden urge to urinate
• Frequent urination, especially at night
• Blood in urine or semen
• Pain in back, hips or pelvis that won’t go away

Other conditions, such as an infection or benign prostatic hyperplasia, may cause these same symptoms, which is why screening is important.

How is screening for prostate cancer done? There several steps to diagnosing prostate cancer. First, your doctor will perform a physical exam to check your overall health. This exam will include taking a health history. Your doctor may also perform a digital rectal exam (DRE) to feel for lumps or abnormalities in the prostate tissue. Another option is the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. This lab test checks the level of PSA in your blood, which can increase if cancer is present. Elevated PSA levels may lead to a biopsy of the prostate gland. This means your doctor will take a little piece of prostate tissue, which will be viewed under a microscope to check for abnormalities.

What are the treatment options?

• Active surveillance, also known as watchful waiting, is recommended for older patients with slow-growing tumors who are in otherwise good health.
• Cancers that are detected at early stages can be treated to cure the cancer. This can be done through surgery or radiation.
• Late-stage cancers can be treated to control the growth of the cancer. Your doctor may use surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, vaccine therapy or chemotherapy to slow the growth of a late-stage tumor.

Your doctor will take many factors into consideration when deciding a treatment plan. Your health history, age, type of tumor and your own preferences will determine the best course of treatment for you.