Prostate: Anatomy

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located in front of the rectum and just below the bladder. Although the prostate is made up of several cell types, almost all prostate cancers develop in the glandular cells.⁽¹⁾ Cancer of gland cells is known as adenocarcinoma.

The glandular cells of the prostate normally function to produce a fluid that is released into the urethra during ejaculation. This fluid forms part of the seminal fluid, which nourishes the sperm. Secretions from the prostate increase the pH of the semen and help to neutralize the acidity of the female vagina.

The prostate is surrounded by blood and lymphatic vessels:

• Blood vessels are part of the circulatory system. They supply oxygen and nutrients and remove waste from the cells of the prostate.
• Lymphatic vessels are part of a large network termed the lymphatic system. These vessels collect and carry fluid and cells from the tissues of the body. Smaller lymphatic vessels merge with larger ones, as streams merge into a river. Large vessels empty into grape-like clusters of lymphatic tissue called lymph nodes. The lymphatic vessels of the prostate carry lymphatic fluid to a mass of lymph nodes located in the pelvic region.

1. What Is Prostate Cancer? American Cancer Society. Accessed October 2010. [http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_1X_What_is_prostate_cancer_36.asp?sitearea=]