September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and this week, free prostate cancer screenings will be offered at locations throughout the country as part of Prostate Cancer Awareness Week. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, but if detected early it can often be treated successfully.

The five-year survival rate for prostate cancer when it is found at its earliest stage, is 100% but if the cancer spreads to other parts of the body, the survival rate drops to 30%. The American Cancer Society recommends a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test and an annual rectal examination beginning at 50. For men who are at greater risk of developing prostate cancer (African-American men and men who have had a close relative with prostate cancer under the age of 65), ACS suggests that screenings begin at age 45. Organizations like the Prostate Conditions Education Council will offer hundreds of free screenings this week to facilitate early detection in millions of men who may not be aware they have prostate cancer.