Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the second most common tumor diagnosed worldwide.

The prostate is a walnut sized gland that is part of the male reproductive system. It is located beneath the urinary bladder and in front of the rectum.

The prostate makes some of the fluid that nourishes and protects sperm cells in the semen. Just behind the prostate are the seminal vesicles, which make most of the fluid for the semen.

Prostate cancer is to men what breast cancer or cervical cancer is to women. It has the potential to grow and spread quickly, but for most men, it is a relatively slow growing disease.

About 20,000 men die of prostate cancer every year in Nigeria. One new case occurs every 3.3 minutes and a man dies from prostate cancer every 20 minutes.

On daily basis, at least 14 men die in the country and 1 in 5 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

A black man is 70 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than a Caucasian man, and is nearly 2.3 times more likely to die from the disease.

Even if you don't smoke you are more likely to develop prostate cancer than to develop colon, bladder, melanoma, lymphoma and kidney cancers combined.

As men increase in age, the risk of developing prostate cancer increases exponentially. About 6 in 10 cases are found in men over the age of 65.

If you have relatives--father, brother, son--with a history of prostate cancer, then you are twice as likely to develop the disease.

Men with prostate cancer do not always experience symptoms, however, if the cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. Prostate cancer is 100 percent treatable if detected early.

Most of the time, men don't have symptoms. Some men, however, do experience changes in urinary or sexual function, including frequent nighttime urination, painful or burning urination, difficulty getting or maintain an erection or a dull pain in the lower pelvic area.

Men of average risk are often advised to consider screening earlier at age 40 to establish a baseline. Every man needs to learn what makes the most sense for their personal health risks and lifestyle.

Screening is to detect prostate cancer at its earliest stages, before any symptoms have developed. That's when the cancer can be treated most effectively. Screening may include a Prostate-Specific Antigen, PSA, blood test, with or without a Digital Rectal Examination, DRE.

Elevated PSA levels do not always mean cancer. Only about 30 percent of the time does an elevated PSA indicate cancer. Other conditions that can raise PSA include an enlarged prostate due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (which can affect ability to pass urine), prostatitis (an infection or inflammation of the prostate gland), or even injury or recent ejaculation (which can raise PSA)