ABSTRACT
Diseases of the prostate are remarkably common, especially in the older male. Benign enlargement of the prostate affects over 50% of the male population between the ages of 51 and 60 years, and more than 80% of men by age 80 (1,2). Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed malignancy and second most common cause of cancer death in men in the United States (3). As the male lifespan, at least in the Western world, continues to increase, diseases associated with the prostate are likely to become more significant. This chapter discusses the most common disorders of the prostate: hyperplasia, cancer, and prostatitis.
