Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer in the United States. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths amongst American men. The good news is that when detected in early stages, the likelihood of prostate cancer cure is much better than if diagnosed in advanced stages. The 5-year survival rate for those whose cancer is detected and treated early is close to 100%. Furthermore, the 10-year survival rate is almost 92%. These survival rates, and other prostate cancer cure rates, are due at least partially to early detection and early treatment.

Prostate cancer occurs most often in men over age 65, but men over 50 are considered at-risk, according to the American Cancer Society. Therefore, prostate cancer screening should begin at age 50, barring any other risk factors such as family history or being of African-Amercian decent, which almost doubles prostate cancer risk. Prostate cancer screening usually involves a PSA (prostate specific antigen) test and a digital rectal exam.

The PSA test measures the level of prostate specific antigen in the bloodstream. Prostate specific antigen is released into the blood by the prostate. A healthy prostate releases low levels into the bloodstream, whereas an enlarged prostate releases higher levels. A prostate can become enlarged due to a variety of factors and the PSA level in the blood can also increase for a variety of factors, so a higher PSA level does not always indicate cancer. The possible causes of a high PSA reading include injury to the prostate, recent ejaculation, benign prostatic hypertrophy and prostate cancer. If a high PSA reading is obtained, further tests are usually done to confirm or refute the presence of prostate cancer.

The second part of most prostate cancer screening programs involves the digital rectal exam. During a digital rectal exam, a doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum of the patient and feels the prostate for any abnormalities. The doctor usually checks for enlargement, or areas of sensitivity or hardness. If any abnormalities are found, it is cause for further investigation. While the abnormalities may be due to benign prostatic hypertrophy, prostatitis or prostate cancer, further tests are necessary to make an exact diagnosis.

If further testing is required due to abnormalities on a PSA test or digital rectal exam, the gold standard is usually a prostate biopsy. This can be done relatively simply right in the urologist's office. The urologist usually takes several samples via a needle biopsy of the prostate, done through the tissue of the rectum. The cells obtained from the biopsy are then examined under a microscope to see if cancerous cells are present. While biopsies are not 100% accurate, they are the best way we currently know to detect prostate cancer.

If prostate cancer is detected, the patient has the choice to pursue treatment with the goal of prostate cancer cure, or to monitor the cancer for growth. Prostate cancer usually a slow-growing form of cancer, though in some patients it does grow more rapidly than expected. If treatment is chosen, the prostate cancer cure and efficacy rates for surgical removal of the prostate and radiotherapy are equal. Therefore, it is up to the patient and their physician to decide which method is best.

While we do have treatments that can lead to prostate cancer cure, the key is early detection. Once the cancer has spread beyond the local prostate area, the likelihood of a prostate cancer cure drops dramatically. Some organizations argue that prostate cancer screening is over-treatment, but it seems prudent since the screenings have made such an impact on survival rates.