What is the prostate gland?
The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system (see the picture below). The prostate makes a fluid that mixes with sperm and other fluids during ejaculation. A normal prostate is about the size of a walnut.
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is when abnormal cells grow in the prostate gland. Like many types of cancer, prostate cancer can be aggressive. This means it grows quickly and can spread to other parts of the body. (When cancer spreads, doctors say the cancer has "metastasized.") Prostate cancer can also grow more slowly.
If you have prostate cancer, it is important for your doctor to monitor the growth of your cancer carefully. If left unchecked, the cancer can grow quickly and spread to other organs in your body. This makes treatment much more difficult.
Source
Treatment Options for Prostate Cancer: Evaluating the Evidence by V Bhatnagar, RM Kaplan (American Family Physician May 15, 2005, http://www.aafp.org/afp/20050515/1915.html)
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff
Reviewed/Updated: 01/11
Created: 01/99