SEATTLE -- When it comes to their health, a lot of men feel what they don't know can't hurt them. But clearly it can.

With many diseases, such as prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in men, early detection saves lives.

"The key to cure is to diagnose the disease earlier," says Dr. Jonathan Miles, a pathologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. He says all men 50 and older should talk to their doctor about the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening.

"Certain men, such as African-American men or men who have relatives with prostate cancer, are at increased risk for developing the disease," Dr. Miles notes. So they should talk to their physician sooner, usually at age 45.

That's what David Rice, Jr. did. His doctor found the cancer and treated it. Today, four years later, Rice is a prostate cancer survivor.

"I received treatment and now I'm on the way to a healthy life, doing the things that I want to do and can do simply because I was saved through early screening," he says.

More Information:

American Cancer Society: All about prostate cancer

Information from the National Institutes of Health

Information on cancer diagnosis from the College of American Pathologists