The prostate gland is located just below the bladder in men and surrounds the top portion of the tube that drains urine from the bladder (urethra). The prostate's primary function is to produce the fluid that nourishes and transports sperm (seminal fluid).
The more you know about the prostate, its normal development and function, where it’s located, and what it’s attached to, the better you can understand how prostate cancer develops and impacts a man’s life over time—due either to cancer growth, or as a result of treatments.
The seminal vesicles are rabbit-eared structures that sit on top of the prostate and store and secrete a large portion of the ejaculate.
The neurovascular bundle is a collection of nerves and blood vessels that run along each side of the prostate, and helps to control erectile function. In some men, these nerves run a short distance away from the prostate, but in others, they attach to the prostate itself. Their precise location doesn’t impact prostate function or contribute to prostate cancer when it occurs.
The bladder is like a balloon that gets larger as it fills with urine. The urethra, a narrow tube that connects to the bladder, runs through the middle of the prostate and along the length of the penis, carrying both urine and semen out of the body. It is the hose that drains the bladder.
The rectum, which sits right behind the prostate, is the lower end of the intestines and connects to the anus.