Easy at-home screening for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is cancer that occurs in the prostate — a small walnut-shaped gland in men. This is the gland that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men, and is generally slow-growing and silent - which is why it is of the utmost importance to catch early.

Certain factors such as age, race, and family history can increase your risk for the disease. Men are at greater risk the older they get — and it’s most commonly diagnosed after age 50.

African American men are at an especially high risk, and more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than other races. A strong family history or genetic predisposition to prostate cancer or breast cancer can also increase your risk. Other health risk factors such as obesity can also affect the advancement and aggression of the cancer.

Some prostate cancers are slow-moving while others are aggressive, and in both scenarios identifying the cancer as early as possible is key. Surgery is a treatment choice for men with early-stage prostate cancer who are in good health. Surgery to remove the prostate is called prostatectomy, but prior to the surgery, it is often necessary to have a prostate biopsy.