By the age of 90, one in every six men will develop prostate cancer and a man's risk only increases with his age.

Oncology Nurse Specialist Ruth Van Gerpen says if you have a family history of the disease, your risk can double, and there's a genetic factor as well.

"Another common risk factor is that of the individual's race," Van Gerpen said. "What we know is that men who are African American tend to have a higher incidence."

Van Gerpen says for many men there are no symptoms or warning signs, but others notice changes in their urinary flow.

"Symptoms such as difficulty getting the stream started, they may find that it kind of stops and starts for them, they may have to go more frequently. That means they get up at night, and more often during the day," Van Gerpen said.

Symptoms of advanced prostate cancer can include bone pain and blood in the urine, but Van Gerpen says there are several treatment options including surgery, radiation,chemotherapy and the newer cryosurgery, which involves freezing the prostate gland.

Another option that Van Gerpen says should be considered is that of 'watchful waiting,' where the patient's condition is closely monitored to see how fast it's progressing before harsher treatment steps are taken.

Van Gerpen says all of the treatment options are equally effective, and patients must choose based on their side effects.

"The side effects associated with many of the treatment options are incontinence and impotence. And those can be significant at times and often times very life changing," Van Gerpen said. "So it's important to consider the degree of side effects, what is important to the man and their partner, and make the best decision for that individual."

Van Gerpen says new research will help doctors better pinpoint which prostate cancers are more aggressive versus those that advance slowly, which could help them determine when certain treatments are appropriate. But until then, she says awareness is key for men to beat the odds.

"Men should be aware it's common, they should talk to their physicians about screening, when to begin doing that, and to follow through and again realize that if they do get diagnosed with it, they have a variety of choices, all of them offering tremendous hope for a lifetime cure for them," Van Gerpen said.

Van Gerpen says currently the American Cancer Society recommends getting screened starting at the age of 50, but if you have a family history of the disease, then screening should start earlier around the age of 40.

Van Gerpen says prostate cancer screening is a two part process, one is a blood test called a prostate specific androgen or a PSA, and the other is a physical exam called a digital rectal exam or a DRE. She says both should be considered by men and their physicians to ensure complete prostate health.

To hear more information from Ruth Van Gerpen, just click on the video links above. To learn more about prostate cancer, click on the links below.