The genitourinary (je-nuh-toh-YUR-un-ner-ee) system are the parts of the body that play a role in reproduction, getting rid of waste producsts in the form of urine, or both (kidney, ureter, bladder, prostate, testes, penis).

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that makes and stores seminal fluid, a milky liquid that nourishes sperm. Located below the bladder and in front of the rectum, the prostate encircles the upper part of the urethra, which is the tube that empties urine from the bladder. The prostate requires male hormones, like testosterone, to function properly, helping to regulate bladder control and normal sexual functioning.

Cancer of the prostate is the most common cancer among American men (excluding skin cancer) and the second leading cause of cancer deaths (after lung cancer). In 2008, an estimated 186,320 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and almost 28,660 men will die of the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. Any man can develop prostate cancer, but for reasons that are not clearly understood, African-American men are twice as likely as white men to develop it. It is less common in Asian and American Indian men.

A man's risk of developing prostate cancer increases with age. Although it can occur at any age, it is most often found in men over the age of 50, and more than 75 percent of tumors are found in men over age 65. A family history of prostate cancer may also increase an individual's risk of developing the disease, particularly if he has a number of close relatives who were diagnosed with prostate tumors or if any relatives were younger than 60 at the time of diagnosis. Such inherited predispositions might be responsible for about 5 to 10 percent of all prostate cancers, according to recent genetic studies. Studies also suggest that a high-fat diet may increase the risk of prostate cancer, and that a diet rich in vegetables, particularly cruciferous vegetables -- which include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, collard and mustard greens, horseradish, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, broccoli rabe, radishes, turnip, rutabaga and watercress -- is associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer.

The incidence rates of prostate cancer have nearly doubled from rates 20 years ago. One possible explanation is that due to the decline in heart disease mortality in recent decades, more men are living to older ages, when prostate cancer risk is highest.

Not all prostate cancers are alike. In some men, the disease is very aggressive and requires treatment. In others, however, it is a slow-growing disease and unlikely to cause serious problems; those men may eventually die of causes other than prostate cancer. For a man who is now 50 years old, his probability of developing a prostate cancer during his lifetime is about 42 percent. However, his probability of being diagnosed with prostate cancer is only about 10 percent, and the likelihood that he will die of the disease is even lower -- about 3 percent.

While many men experience no symptoms of prostate cancer before it is discovered, others may notice frequent urination or an inability to urinate, trouble starting or holding back urine, or frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs. However, these symptoms are also seen with a common, non-cancerous condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is an enlargement of the prostate gland. It is important to seek medical attention for any of these symptoms to ensure the proper diagnosis and treatment.

Nearly 80 percent of all prostate tumors are diagnosed at an early stage -- when they are still in the local or regional stages. For these patients the five-year survival rate is 100 percent. And according to the American Cancer Society, the survival rate for all stages of prostate cancer combined has increased from 67 percent to 92 percent over the past 20 years, primarily because more men are being diagnosed at an earlier stage than in years past.