MEDFORD, Ore -- More than 4 million American men are living with prostate cancer. The earlier it's caught, the greater the chance of survival.
September 1st is the first day of National Prostate Awareness Month. NewsWatch 12 is going blue to raise awareness about it.

In 2019, more than 174,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. It will kill nearly 32,000 of them. In the next month you will see stories on our newscasts, on our website, across our social platforms focusing on prostate cancer. We will highlight success stories from those who have fought the disease and won.
You will find out about the latest screening techniques; including the move away from invasive procedures when possible, to a blood test. The numbers associated with prostate cancer can be frightening. One new case occurs every three minutes and a man dies from prostate cancer every 17 minutes.
In the month of September we will give you background information and context to help you determine what your risk might be or the risk faced by someone you care about. One goal of our reporting is to get people to have informed discussions about prostate cancer. The earlier a cancer is found in most cases, the greater chances of successful treatment. Fighting fear with information might help a man get the early testing he needs to save his life.
Be sure to join us for NewsWatch 12's Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, all September.