Prostate cancer

Abstract

Prostate cancer is a common malignancy in Western populations and a growing public health problem globally. Although the prevalence of prostate tumors becomes very high with age, only a small proportion of tumors are potentially lethal (aggressive) and their identification is an enduring challenge. Established risk factors include age, family history, and race, but, until the causes are better understood, prevention is impossible. In some populations, the widespread use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests to increase early detection has inflated incidence, often by more than twofold, and shifted the disease spectrum toward less aggressive forms, that is, small tumors of low to moderate ..