Prostate Cancer Awareness Week

September 18 marked the first day of Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, 2000. This year, it is estimated that over 180,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be detected in the US and 32,000 men will die from the disease - that is one diagnosis every three minutes, and one death every 13 minutes. Over a lifetime, prostate cancer will effect an estimated one in six American men. African American men have the highest prostate cancer rates in the world. They are least 50% more likely to develop prostate cancer than men of other racial and ethnic groups and are also more than twice as likely to die from it.

AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical and healthcare company, is partnering with companies across the nation to educate the importance of screening and early detection. The screening programs, entitled "Corporate Fight Against Prostate Cancer", include employee education, the provision and display of materials, and lunchtime seminars conducted by local urologists. Onsite screenings are also being made available. For more information visit the Prostate Cancer Education Council at www.pcaw.com.