I still remember hearing hushed voices as I entered the room. I was twelve years old, the youngest of three children, and that night my world turned upside down. Dad had prostate cancer and it was time for us to be told. After invasive surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone treatment, my father survived another ten years before passing away. That was forty five years ago, and I have never forgotten my hopeless feeling.

Forty five years later there still is no cure, though medical advancements have leveled the playing field considerably. While reading this article, hundreds of medical scientists around the world are diligently working to beat this disease. As you look at the statistical data, you will see why the battle to end cancer is so important.

Prostate cancer is the currently the number one cancer found in men. In 2003 alone, there were 220,000 new cases discovered and a total of 29,000 prostate cancer fatalities. Overall statistics reveal that risk factors increase with age, which explains why 75 percent of new prostate detections will be in men 65 years and older. Studies also reveal African-Americans to be the highest risk group and almost twice as likely to get prostate cancer. There is a 5 to 10 percent increase in prostate cancer patients that have a family history of the disease.

Despite the grim statistical data, there are three major offensives being waged against this deadly disease. Through better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, survival rates are increasing and the options for treatment increase. Studies reveal that proper diet, rest, and regular exercise raise your chances of staying cancer free. There are many websites and materials available to learn the foods, vitamins, and anti-oxidants that help fight cancer. Make a decision to be proactive.

Prostate cancer no longer lives in the shadows of ignorance, fear, and denial that once enslaved men. Active information campaigns, advertisements, and screenings are available and more convenient than in the past. Males over 50 years old should be screened annually by your doctor. Digital rectal exams are still used for detection, in addition to the standard list of symptoms which include frequent and painful urination, evidence of blood, and slow or labored urine flow.

The most recent form of detection measures the prostate specific antigens that are found in the blood. The level of PSA normally present in blood is somewhere between 0-4. When the PSA level is above the normal range or elevates significantly between check ups, it indicates a greater likelihood of cancer. PSA testing is probably one of the most convenient and usually reliable methods for detection. African-American males and those with a family history of prostate cancer should be screened

There are many differing views on treatment strategies for prostate cancer patients. Whereas prostate removal and chemotherapy were often the standard approach to cancer treatment, medical technology now offers more effective, less invasive options.

External Beam Radiation treatment involves three different treatment fields of radiation being delivered precisely and accurately to the cancerous tumor. The treatment advantage is in its precise delivery to the cancer cells, which intensifies the radiation attack on the cancerous cells, while avoiding damage to the surrounding organ cells such as the rectum or bladder.

A more accurate radiation treatment being used is the Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, IMRT which delivers a more intense and accurate beam of radiation to the cancer, while avoiding the normal surrounding tissue. The IMRT is able to make adjustments to the target cells, which helps target the occasional shift in the prostate gland's location.

These great benefit in using these highly intense and accurate radiation beams is the avoidance of the normal surrounding tissue. Previously, incontinence, impotency, and permanent loss of sexual function were common side effects of prostate treatment. The new radiation treatment offers new hope for a normal recovery.