Prostate cancer is the development of cancer cells in the prostate gland. (The prostate gland produces fluid for semen). It is the most common cancer in men; some cases of prostate cancers grow very slowly, while others are very aggressive and spread quickly to other organs.

How Does Prostate Cancer Develop?

Like all cancers, prostate cancer begins when a mass of cells has grown out of control and begins invading other tissues. Cells become cancerous due to the accumulation of defects, or mutations, in their DNA.

Most of the time, cells are able to detect and repair DNA damage. If a cell is severely damaged and cannot repair itself, it undergoes so-called programmed cell death or apoptosis. Cancer occurs when damaged cells grow, divide, and spread abnormally instead of self-destructing as they should.

Symptoms of prostate cancer are variable; some men have no symptoms until the cancer develops over years. However, symptoms that can develop include the following:

• Urinary frequency

• Difficulty starting or stopping urination

• Interrupted or weak or slow urinary stream

• Blood in urine or in semen

• Discomfort (pain or burning sensation with urination or ejaculation)

• Intense pain in the low back, hips, or thighs, often present with aggressive or prostatic cancer spread to other organs