Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer in men. Survival rates are high. But early detection is the key. Prostate cancer is very rare among men under the age of 40, but risk of the disease significantly increases after the age of 50.

In the United States, about 6 in 10 prostate cancer cases are found in men over the age of 65.

According to the American Cancer Society, about 233,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed and 29,480 men will die of prostate cancer in 2014.

What’s a Prostate?

The prostate is a gland that’s found only in men. It’s located below the bladder. It makes some of the fluid that protects and nourishes sperm cells. When you’re young, it starts out about the size of a walnut, but it grows larger as you grow older.

By the Numbers

• Number of U.S. men with prostate cancer: 2.5 million
• New diagnoses in 2014:  233,000
• Deaths in 2014: 29,480
• The average age at the time of diagnosis: 66
• The odds you’ll be diagnosed with prostate cancer: 1 in 7
• The odds you’ll die of prostate cancer: 1 in 36
• The relative 5-year survival rate: Nearly 100%
• The relative 10-year survival rate: 99%
• The relative 15-year survival rate: 94%

The fight against prostate cancer begins with education and guidance from a Bellin Health primary care doctor. Call Bellin Health On-Call 24/7 at (920) 445-7373 for more information and to make an appointment.