by Joy Shumaker

Created on: May 31, 2007

According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, a non-smoking man is more likely to get prostate cancer than bladder, bronchus, colon, kidney, lung, lymphoma, melanoma, oral, and rectal cancers combined. If there was one scientific discovery that I could make in my lifetime, it would be a preventative treatment for this often-fatal disease.

As a daughter of a prostate cancer survivor, it is a topic that is frequently on my mind. Is my dad at risk for a relapse? Will my brothers' lives be tragically cut short by the early onset of this disease? How about my sons?

Most men (and those who love them) aren't aware of the risks that prostate cancer presents. Many people don't know how prevalent this cancer is in American society, and have no idea how to treat it. I, myself, would have had no idea without having experienced first-hand what was involved in the diagnosis and eradication of this cancer in my dad. Treatment includes either radiation or surgery, both of which are painful, both of which have negative reproductive tract side effects.
Usually this cancer has no symptoms in the early stages, so it can only be detected through blood tests and digital rectal exams. Even with these tests, not all cases are detected or properly treated.

On the plus side, more than 70% of all cases are diagnosed in men over the age of 65, who will most likely die from other age-related disorders/diseases before the cancer spreads to their vital organs. Prostate cancer is a relatively slow-growing cancer, and 98% of cases have at least a five year survival rate (at ten years the survival rate is 84%, at fifteen years it is 56%).

It is estimated that over 2 million American men are currently suffering from this disease. In the U.S. it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths, 232,000 new cases are diagnosed annually, and over 30,000 men die from it each year.

Preventing the initial growth of these cancerous cells could potentially save the lives of millions, and improve the quality of life for families, spouses, and even those who would have had success with standard treatments.

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