Prostate Cancer—All Things Considered
Nearly 200,000 cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed each year, and nearly 28,000 men die. [19] In a prostate cancer patient's testimony, he describes the disease as: [20,32] "This is serious, life-changing stuff : There’s blood in your urine , a catheter snaked up your penis, scars stitch your gut , and you might be impotent and incontinent for a few months, a couple of years, or the rest of your life." Scary! Isn't it? Prostate Problems The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and base of the penis, just in front of the rectum. It surrounds the urethra, the outlet from the bladder, and secretes the fluid portion of semen. Just as glandular tissue in the breast can become cancerous, so can glandular tissue in the prostate. If the cancer is caught while still localized with the prostate, the chances of it killing you within the next five years are practically nil. However, if the cancer spreads far enough, your chances of survi...