The prostate is basically a gland, located just below the bladder in men. It is not found in women. Its function is not wholly understood, but appears to be linked to human reproduction. It is about the size of a walnut in an adult, and it can grow to the size of a lemon or orange. This growth can make urination rather difficult; reduce your interest in sex and cause erectile problems.
What makes it grow?
The growth is related to testosterone. In the prostate gland, testosterone is broken down into the related hormone dihydrotestosterone, which also appears to be involved in both baldness and the enlarged prostate.
This does not actually mean that high or low levels of testosterone cause cancer. It is more to do with the way that your body reacts to a normal amount.
Most prostates do grow. Although the growth is not actually caused by cancer, in some unfortunate cases it can become cancerous. In fact very small cancers are sometimes found even in young men after they die ( from something else)
By the age of 70, two out of every three men will have some discernible degree of prostate cancer. The important question, is whether your prostate cancer is actually aggressive enough to actually kill you before something else does.
In terms of possible treatment, Doctors will often follow something they like to call `watchful waiting`. In practice, this entails doing nothing but carrying out regular tests - this is a very common process in prostate growth. They are trying to work out whether the growth has become cancerous and how quickly the cells are multiplying.
As a general rule of thumb, the younger you are, the more aggressive a given cancer is going to be. Recent research has also intriguingly suggested that taller men might be more likely to have more aggressive cancers.
There is additionally a strong family link. Your risk of prostate cancer is likely to be doubled if you have an affected brother or father. The risk also increases with the additional number of male relatives you have with the disease
How dangerous is Prostate Cancer?
After lung cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer killer of men within the United Kingdom, responsible for over 10, 000 deaths a year. It is however still rare to find it in men under 50.