FACTBOX: Prostate cancer is scourge among men

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men.

In the United States alone, more than 190,000 men are diagnosed every year, but only a small percentage will die from the disease.

Improved screening methods and awareness have resulted in earlier detection. The American Cancer Society estimates that some 2 million men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer are leading active lives.

RISK FACTORS:

AGE: As men age, the incidence of prostate cancer increases. More than 65 percent of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65. Prostate cancer is rare in men younger than 40 years old.

RACE: African-American men are 61 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than Asian, Caucasian or Hispanic men.

FAMILY HISTORY: Men are twice as likely to have prostate cancer when a brother, father or uncle have had the disease. If they have two or more first-degree relatives with the disease. they are four times more likely to be diagnosed.

LIFESTYLE: Some studies have shown links between high-fat diets and the disease.

SCREENING: Prostate cancer is detected by a routine blood test that looks for prostate specific antigen, or PSA.

DEVELOPMENT: Prostate cancer happens when a cell begins to develop abnormally and crowd out healthy cells. As the abnormal cells multiply, they form a malignant (cancerous) growth or tumor.

TREATMENT OPTIONS: These include surveillance, radiation therapy, cryoablation or cryotherapy, hormone therapy, and prostate removal. New treatments, such as High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, or HIFU, are being investigated.

Source: USMD Prostate Cancer Center and American Cancer Society.

(Reporting by Debra Sherman)