Each day, hundreds of men in the United States are told they have prostate cancer, and immediately these men are thrust into both a psychological and physical battle with a killer. However, if these battles are approached with sound knowledge and the right strategies, beating prostate cancer is very possible. The American Cancer Society estimates there were approximately 230,000 new prostate cancer cases diagnosed in 2004. This is the leading type of cancer among men by a margin of 2 to 1 when compared to the next leading type, which is lung cancer. Prostate cancer is also the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men, with upwards of 30,000 dying from this disease each year. According to the American Cancer Society, “While the causes of prostate cancer are not yet completely understood, researchers have found several factors that are consistently associated with an increased risk of developing this disease. Among these are age, race, nationality, diet, and family history.” Black Americans have the highest prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates in the world. However, the disease is rare in Africa, Asia, and South America. The mortality rates for black Americans more than doubles the mortality rate for white Americans, the group with the next highest level. Prostate cancer seems to run in some families, suggesting an inherited or genetic factor. Having a father or brother with prostate cancer doubles a man’s risk of developing this disease. “The risk is even higher for men with several affected relatives, particularly if their relatives were young at the time of diagnosis,” according to the American Cancer Society. Regardless of the known risk factors, prostate cancer knows no boundaries. It strikes men around the world, young and old, of all races and economic status. Ninety-seven percent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer survive at least five years and sixty-seven percent survive at least ten years. While these numbers may seem impressive, they don’t begin to tell the complete story of the havoc that prostate cancer plays on many survivors’ quality of life. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in April 2000 at the age of 56. While prostate cancer is often characterized as a slow-growing cancer that many men will “die with” as opposed to “die from,” this is not true in my family. I know this disease as “The Killer Within.” (Introduction continued in the book......)