Mission 

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the US, other than skin cancer. It's also the second-leading cause of cancer death (after lung cancer). About 1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime.

It can happen at any age, but the chances go up as a man gets older. Most prostate cancers are found in men over the age of 65. Prostate cancer happens more often in Black men than in men of other races and ethnicities. And when Black men do get it, they are often younger.

Having one or more close relatives with prostate cancer also increases a man’s risk of having prostate cancer.

What you can do

Talk to a health care provider about screening.

The American Cancer Society recommends that men have a chance to make an informed decision with their health care provider about whether to be screened for prostate cancer. The decision should be made after getting information about the risks and potential benefits of prostate cancer screening. The discussion about screening should take place at:

• Age 50 for men at average risk of prostate cancer who are expected to live at least 10 more years

• Age 45 for men at high risk of prostate cancer, including all Black men and any man with a father or brother diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 65

• Age 40 for men at even higher risk, including any men with more than one brother or both a father and brother who had prostate cancer, and men who carry any BRCA gene mutations

If you decide to get screened for prostate cancer

Men who decide to get screened should be tested with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. A digital rectal exam (DRE) may also be done as a part of screening. How often you are tested will depend on your PSA level, health, family history, and preferences.