To increase public education and awareness of prostate cancer, Governor Granholm and the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) are recognizing September as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Prostate cancer continues to be the second leading cause of cancer deaths among Michigan men. In 2007, 946 men in the state died of the disease. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2009, 820 Michigan men will die of the disease and 7,010 new cases will be diagnosed.

Although the exact cause of prostate cancer is unknown, several factors have been found to increase the risk of developing the disease.

- Age. The older a man is, the greater his risk for getting prostate cancer.

- Family history. A man with a father, brother, or son who has had prostate cancer is two to three times more likely to develop the disease himself.

- Race. Prostate cancer is more common in some racial and ethnic groups than in others, but medical experts do not know why. Prostate cancer is more common among African American men than among white men. It is less common among Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American men.

Prostate cancer is different from other cancers in that most cases are of the slow growing type that would never have caused problems. Therefore, each man must decide whether or not to get tested for prostate cancer, and if it is found, which treatment option to select based on the risk and benefits as informed by his values and preferences.

"Because treatment of prostate cancer may have serious adverse side effects, including urinary incontinence and sexual impotence, every man should discuss with his physician his options for prostate cancer treatment," said MDCH Director Janet Olszewski.

The Michigan Cancer Consortium has developed a decision aid, Making the Choice: Deciding What to Do About Early Stage Prostate Cancer to help men in making informed decisions about treatment of early stage prostate cancer. The decision aid, available in English, Spanish, and Arabic, are available free of charge by calling 800-249-0314 or visiting www.prostatecancerdecision.org. New materials will be available in September on this same Web site that will help men manage some of the side effects of prostate cancer treatment.

Michigan demonstrated its commitment to the fight against prostate cancer when Governor Granholm signed income tax check-off legislation allowing Michigan taxpayers to contribute to the Prostate Cancer Research Fund. Dollars designated for the Prostate Cancer Research Fund will be distributed through a grant program that supports prostate cancer research in Michigan. During the 2008 tax season, $52,235 was raised by this fund. Michiganders can still donate to the Prostate Cancer Research Fund when filing their 2009 state tax return. One hundred percent of the money collected stays here in Michigan.

For more information about prostate cancer, please visit the prostate cancer information section on the MDCH Web site, www.michigan.gov/cancer.