Prostate cancer is a disease in which cells in the prostate — a small gland in the male reproductive system — grow out of control.
The prostate
The prostate sits in front of the rectum and just below the bladder.
The prostate is about the size of a walnut. It makes fluid that forms part of semen, and it surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the bladder.
The prostate tends to grow as a man ages. That can narrow the urethra and make urination harder — a condition called an enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is not prostate cancer. The prostate can also have other changes and conditions that are not cancer.
What causes it
There is no single known cause. Some things raise the chance of getting it, including:
- age;
- race and ethnicity;
- family history.
Having a risk factor does not mean someone will get prostate cancer.
More information
- CDC, Facts about Prostate Cancer — an overview of symptoms, screening and treatment (PDF).
- National Cancer Institute, Prostate Cancer.
- MedlinePlus, Prostate Cancer.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Basic Information About Prostate Cancer.
许可协议： CC0 1.0（公有领域） · 改编自 www.cdc.gov
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