What Is the Prostate?
The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system. It makes most of the semen that carries sperm.
Where Is It Located?
It sits directly beneath your bladder and in front of your rectum. Because the first portion of the urethra passes through the prostate, the passage of urine or semen through the urethra can be blocked if the gland is enlarged.
What Is Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor of the prostate.
The disease is less common before age 50, and experts believe that most elderly men have traces of it.
African American men are more likely to get prostate cancer and have the highest death rate. Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. In other parts of the world — notably Asia, Africa, and Latin America — prostate cancer is rare.