Facts

• Prostate cancer incidence rates increased 192 percent between 1973 and 1992.
• In the next 24 hours, prostate cancer will claim the lives of over 100 American men. (National Prostate Cancer Coalition)
• In Iowa, prostate cancer is the second leading cause (29.2 percent) of cancer deaths in males and the leading type of new cancer (11.5 percent) in males. (State Health Registry Cancer in Iowa: 2002)

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer affecting men in the Western world. In 2002, the American Cancer Society projects there will be 189,000 new cases of prostate cancer (30 percent of all adult male cancers) and 30,200 deaths (11 percent of cancer deaths) from prostate cancer.

"Prostate cancer is the leading type of cancer in men and the second leading cause of death in American males," says Richard Williams, M. D., professor and head of the University of Iowa Department of Urology.

"The good news is that the incidence rate has decreased by 5.1 percent and the death rate has decreased by 3.5 percent between 1992 and1998, suggesting that screenings may work," says Williams.

The prostate is a male sex gland that produces a fluid that forms part of the semen. About the size of a walnut, the prostate is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum.

"Risk factors for prostate cancer include age, race, and heredity," says Carolyn Beelner, R.N., O.C.N., with the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center's Cancer Information Service. "Simply growing older increases the likelihood of getting prostate cancer." The fastest growing group of men diagnosed with prostate cancer is the 50 to 60 age group.

African-American men have the world's highest incidence of prostate cancer--one-third higher than white Americans. Asian men have much lower rates.

If three relatives have the disease, you are 10 times more likely to get prostate cancer. If your father or your brother has prostate cancer, you are two to three times more likely to develop prostate cancer.

For more information, contact the Holden Cancer Center Information Service at 800-237-1225.

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Symptoms

Compared with most cancers, prostate cancer tends to grow slowly and it may be decades from the time of the earliest cell changes detected under a microscope until the cancer causes symptoms. Early prostate cancer often doesn't exhibit any symptoms so regular examinations are especially important. When symptoms do occur, they may include:

• Frequent urination
• Difficulty starting for stopping urination
• Inability to urinate
• Weak or interrupted flow of urine
• Painful or burning urination
• Painful ejaculation
• Blood in urine or semen
• Persistent pain in lower back, hips, upper thighs.

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David Lubaroff, Ph. D., University of Iowa Department of Urology professor and Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center researcher; Badrinath Konety, M.D., assistant professor of urology; Brian Link, M.D., assistant professor of oncology, and Richard Williams, M.D., head of the Department of Urology, are leading the nation's first-ever clinical trial of an adenovirus/prostate specific antigen vaccine,

Currently in phase 1, this vaccine trial shows promise as one of the new generation of therapies designed to help a patient's immune system redirect its efforts at fighting prostate cancer cells, even when those cells have metastasized throughout the body.

"I have high expectations and every reason to think gains will be made in this area," said Jack Leonard of Lisbon, Iowa, one of the phase 1 volunteers. The 68-year-old father of five was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1996 and has been treated with surgery and hormone therapy, and is now a pioneer member of the clinical trial.

"If they can hold the cancer in check, or even better, knock it down, that would be great," says Leonard. "Or better yet, develop a vaccine to be given at a certain age and never worry about prostate cancer again."

Prostate Cancer Research Group investigators Tim Ratliff, Ph.D., Hebbeln Professor of Prostate Cancer Research, and Tom Griffith, Ph.D., assistant professor of urology, are developing further prostate cancer vaccines and will begin additional trials within the next year.

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