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Prostate cancer

Show Alternative Names
Cancer - prostate
Biopsy - prostate
Prostate biopsy
Gleason score

Prostate cancer is cancer that starts in the prostate gland. The prostate is a small, walnut-shaped structure that makes up part of a man's reproductive system. It wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body.

Causes

Prostate cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over age 75. Prostate cancer is rarely found in men younger than 40.

People who are at high risk include:

  • African American men, who are also more likely to develop this cancer at every age
  • Men age 60 years and above
  • Men who have a father or brother with prostate cancer

Other people at risk include:

  • Men who have been exposed to Agent Orange
  • Men who eat a diet high in fat, especially animal fat
  • Obese men

Prostate cancer is less common in people who do not eat meat (vegetarians).

A common problem in almost all men as they grow older is an enlarged prostate that affects their urinary function. This is called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. It does not raise your risk for prostate cancer. But, it can increase your prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test result.

Prostate cancer - Animation

As men get older, they have a lot of new worries to deal with, from hair loss, weight gain, perhaps even erectile dysfunction. In addition, cancer is one of the biggest concerns that older men face, especially prostate cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer death in men over 75. Younger men may not be very familiar with their prostate, the walnut-shaped gland that wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. But as they get older, the prostate can start to cause problems. Men over the age of 60 are at increased risk for prostate cancer, especially if they're of African descent, they have a father or brother with the disease, or they eat a lot of burgers and processed meats in their daily diet. It can be hard to pinpoint prostate cancer symptoms, because they usually start late in the disease and they can mimic symptoms of a benign, enlarged prostate, which is also more common in older men. Symptoms like a slow urine stream, dribbling, blood in the urine, or straining while urinating can be signs of either condition. An enlarged prostate can also confuse the results of a PSA test, which is used to screen for prostate cancer. So, if your doctor thinks you might have prostate cancer, you may need a biopsy, which is a procedure that removes a small piece of prostate tissue and sends it to the lab to check for cancer. Then a scoring system called the Gleason grade is used to tell how fast your cancer might spread. Your Gleason grade will help decide what treatment you get. Early-stage prostate cancers that haven't spread are often removed with surgery, and then treated with radiation therapy to kill any remaining cancer cells. Prostate cancer surgery may affect your ability to have sex and control urine, so talk about these issues with your doctor before you have the procedure. Because prostate cancer tends to grow very slowly, your doctor may want to just monitor you with PSA tests and biopsies, and avoid treatment unless the cancer starts to spread. Prostate cancer that has spread is usually treated with surgery, chemotherapy, or hormone therapy. If your doctor discovers prostate cancer in its early stages, before it spreads, it's pretty easy to treat, and even cure. Treatments can also slow down prostate cancer that's spread, and extend your survival. Before you have to deal with a prostate cancer diagnosis, ask your doctor for ways to prevent and screen for the disease. Eating a healthy, low-fat diet that's high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids might help lower your risk. There are also drugs called finasteride and dutasteride that are used in some men to prevent prostate cancer. Talk with your doctor about the pros and cons of these drugs, as well as the possible benefits and risks of having your PSA levels tested.

Prostate Cancer Myths & Facts Quiz

  • An enlarged prostate probably means you have prostate cancer.

    Correct Answer
    The correct answer is myth. The prostate is a small, walnut-sized gland found next to a man's bladder. It becomes enlarged in almost all men as they age. This is called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. It does not raise the risk of prostate cancer.

  • Which may be a sign of prostate cancer?

    Correct Answer
    The correct answer is all of the above, although these symptoms can also be caused by other prostate problems. Check with your doctor if you notice any changes or difficulties when you urinate. Many prostate cancers are diagnosed before any symptoms are present.

  • A high PSA (prostate specific antigen) level is a sure sign of prostate cancer.

    Correct Answer
    The correct answer is myth. The PSA blood test can help detect prostate cancer, but it's not foolproof. Prostate infections or an enlarged prostate can also cause a rise in PSA. Not all experts agree about the value of using PSA test to screen for prostate cancer. Talk with your doctor about whether you should have a PSA test.

  • Which can raise your prostate cancer risk?

    Correct Answer
    The correct answer is all of the above. Let your doctor know if you have any of these risk factors. Men with a family history of prostate cancer (especially a brother or father) and African-American men should consider yearly screenings starting around age 40 to 45.

  • Men younger than 40 rarely develop prostate cancer.

    Correct Answer
    The correct answer is fact. Most prostate cancer occurs in men who are older than 60. It's the most common cause of death from cancer in men over age 75. Starting at age 55 (or earlier if you are at higher risk), talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of prostate cancer screening.

  • A biopsy is the only way tell if you have prostate cancer.

    Correct Answer
    The correct answer is fact. During a biopsy, your doctor will remove some tissue from the prostate to test for cancer. Your doctor may recommend a biopsy if you have a high PSA level, or if a rectal exam shows a large prostate or a hard, uneven surface.

  • When prostate cancer is found early, treatment may involve:

    Correct Answer
    The correct answer is any of the above. If the cancer has not spread beyond the prostate, treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, or both. Brachytherapy involves placing tiny radioactive seeds inside the prostate. It's often used to treat small, slow-growing cancer.

  • Prostate cancer thrives on testosterone.

    Correct Answer
    The correct answer is fact. Most prostate tumors need testosterone to grow. In men whose cancer has spread beyond the prostate, hormone therapy may help reduce testosterone levels. This can relieve symptoms and keep the cancer from spreading, but it's not a cure.

  • Prostate cancer should always be treated, no matter your age.

    Correct Answer
    The correct answer is myth. If you are older and have a slow-growing cancer, your doctor may recommend simply monitoring the cancer with PSA tests or biopsies.

  • Prostate cancer treatments may cause impotence.

    Correct Answer
    The correct answer is fact. Possible problems after surgery or radiation therapy include problems controlling urine or bowel movements and erection problems. Medicines used to treat prostate cancer may also cause erection problems.

  • Prostate cancer can never be cured.

    Correct Answer
    The correct answer is myth. Many patients can be cured if their prostate cancer is found before it has spread beyond the prostate gland. Some patients whose cancer has not spread very much outside the prostate gland can also be cured. Even when prostate cancer cannot be cured, many man can live years with the cancer present.

Symptoms

With early prostate cancer, there are often no symptoms.

The PSA blood test may be done to screen men for prostate cancer. Often, the PSA level rises before there are any symptoms.

The symptoms listed below can occur with prostate cancer as it grows larger in the prostate. These symptoms can also be caused by other prostate problems:

  • Delayed or slowed start of urinary stream
  • Dribbling or leakage of urine, most often after urinating
  • Slow urinary stream
  • Straining when urinating, or not being able to empty all of the urine
  • Blood in the urine or semen

When the cancer has spread, there may be bone pain or tenderness, most often in the lower back and pelvic bones.

Exams and Tests

An abnormal prostate gland felt during a digital rectal exam may be the only sign of prostate cancer.

A biopsy is needed to tell if you have prostate cancer. A biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of tissue from the prostate. The sample is sent to a lab for examination. It will be done in your doctor's office.

Your doctor may recommend a biopsy if:

  • You have a high PSA level
  • A digital rectal exam reveals that your prostate is hard or has an uneven surface

The biopsy result is reported using what is called a Gleason grade and a Gleason score.

The Gleason grade tells you how fast the cancer might spread. It grades tumors on a scale of 1 through 5. You may have different grades of cancer in one biopsy sample. The two most common grades are added together. This gives you the Gleason score. The higher your Gleason score, the more likely the cancer can spread beyond the prostate:

  • Scores 2 through 6: Low-grade prostate cancer.
  • Score 7: Intermediate- (or in the middle) grade cancer. Most prostate cancers fall into this group.
  • Scores 8 through 10: High-grade cancer.

Another grading system, the 5 Grade Group System does a better job of describing how a cancer will behave and respond to treatment:

  • Grade group 1: Gleason score 6 or lower (low-grade cancer)
  • Grade group 2: Gleason score 3 + 4 = 7 (medium-grade cancer)
  • Grade group 3: Gleason score 4 + 3 = 7 (medium-grade cancer)
  • Grade group 4: Gleason score 8 (high-grade cancer)
  • Grade group 5: Gleason score 9 to 10 (high-grade cancer)

A lower group indicates a better chance for successful treatment than a higher group. A higher group means that more of the cancer cells look different from normal cells. A higher group also means that it is more likely that the tumor will spread aggressively.

The following tests may be done to determine whether the cancer has spread:

The PSA blood test will also be used to monitor your cancer after treatment.

Treatment

Treatment depends on many things, including your Gleason score and your overall health. Your doctor will discuss your treatment options with you.

If the cancer has not spread outside the prostate gland, common treatments include:

If you are older, your doctor may recommend simply monitoring the cancer with PSA tests and biopsies. This is called active surveillance.

Hormone therapy is mainly used for cancer that has spread beyond the prostate. It helps relieve symptoms and prevents further growth and spread of the cancer. But it does not cure the cancer.

If prostate cancer spreads even after hormone therapy, surgery, or radiation has been tried, treatment may include:

  • Chemotherapy
  • Immunotherapy (medicine to trigger the immune system to attack and kill cancer cells)

Surgery, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy can affect your sexual performance. Problems with urine control are possible after surgery and radiation therapy. Discuss your concerns with your health care provider.

After treatment for prostate cancer, you will be closely watched to make sure the cancer does not spread. This involves routine checkups, including PSA blood tests (usually every 3 months to 1 year).

Support Groups

You can ease the stress of illness by joining a prostate cancer support group. Sharing with others who have common experiences and problems can help you not feel alone.

Outlook (Prognosis)

How well you do depends on whether the cancer has spread outside the prostate gland and how abnormal the cancer cells are (the Gleason score) when you are diagnosed.

A cure is possible if the cancer has not spread. Hormone treatment can improve survival, even if a cure is not possible.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of PSA screening with your provider.

Prevention

Talk with your provider about possible ways to lower your risk for prostate cancer. These may include lifestyle measures, such as diet and exercise.

There are no medicines approved by the FDA for preventing prostate cancer.

Review Date: 7/1/2023

Reviewed By

Kelly L. Stratton, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Department of Urology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

References

National Cancer Institute website. Prostate cancer treatment (PDQ) health professional version. www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/hp/prostate-treatment-pdq. Updated February 13, 2023. Accessed July 17, 2023.

National Comprehensive Cancer Network website. NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology (NCCN guidelines): Prostate cancer. Version 4.2023. www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/prostate.pdf. Updated September 7, 2023. Accessed October 6, 2023.

Nelson WG, Antonarakis ES, Carter HB, De Marzo AM, DeWeese TL. Prostate cancer. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 81.

Stephenson AJ, Abouassaly R, Klein EA. Epidemiology, etiology, and prevention of prostate cancer. In: Partin AW, Dmochowski RR, Kavoussi LR, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 148.

US Preventive Services Task Force; Grossman DC, Curry SJ, et al. Screening for prostate cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2018;319(18):1901-1913. PMID: 29801017 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29801017/.

Wei JT, Barocas D, Carlsson S, et al. Early detection of prostate cancer: AUA/SUO guideline part I: prostate cancer screening. J Urol. 2023;210(1):45-53. www.auanet.org/guidelines-and-quality/guidelines/early-detection-of-prostate-cancer-guidelines.

Wei JT, Barocas D, Carlsson S, et al. Early detection of prostate cancer: AUA/SUO guideline part II: considerations for a prostate biopsy. J Urol. 2023;210(1):54-63. www.auanet.org/guidelines-and-quality/guidelines/early-detection-of-prostate-cancer-guidelines.

Disclaimer

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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Prostate cancer - Animation

As men get older, they have a lot of new worries to deal with, from hair loss, weight gain, perhaps even erectile dysfunction. In addition, cancer is one of the biggest concerns that older men face, especially prostate cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer death in men over 75.

Younger men may not be very familiar with their prostate, the walnut-shaped gland that wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. But as they get older, the prostate can start to cause problems. Men over the age of 60 are at increased risk for prostate cancer, especially if they're of African descent, they have a father or brother with the disease, or they eat a lot of burgers and processed meats in their daily diet.

It can be hard to pinpoint prostate cancer symptoms, because they usually start late in the disease and they can mimic symptoms of a benign, enlarged prostate, which is also more common in older men. Symptoms like a slow urine stream, dribbling, blood in the urine, or straining while urinating can be signs of either condition. An enlarged prostate can also confuse the results of a PSA test, which is used to screen for prostate cancer.

So, if your doctor thinks you might have prostate cancer, you may need a biopsy, which is a procedure that removes a small piece of prostate tissue and sends it to the lab to check for cancer. Then a scoring system called the Gleason grade is used to tell how fast your cancer might spread. Your Gleason grade will help decide what treatment you get.

Early-stage prostate cancers that haven't spread are often removed with surgery, and then treated with radiation therapy to kill any remaining cancer cells. Prostate cancer surgery may affect your ability to have sex and control urine, so talk about these issues with your doctor before you have the procedure.

Because prostate cancer tends to grow very slowly, your doctor may want to just monitor you with PSA tests and biopsies, and avoid treatment unless the cancer starts to spread. Prostate cancer that has spread is usually treated with surgery, chemotherapy, or hormone therapy.

If your doctor discovers prostate cancer in its early stages, before it spreads, it's pretty easy to treat, and even cure. Treatments can also slow down prostate cancer that's spread, and extend your survival.

Before you have to deal with a prostate cancer diagnosis, ask your doctor for ways to prevent and screen for the disease. Eating a healthy, low-fat diet that's high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids might help lower your risk. There are also drugs called finasteride and dutasteride that are used in some men to prevent prostate cancer. Talk with your doctor about the pros and cons of these drugs, as well as the possible benefits and risks of having your PSA levels tested.

 

Prostate cancer - Animation

As men get older, they have a lot of new worries to deal with, from hair loss, weight gain, perhaps even erectile dysfunction. In addition, cancer is one of the biggest concerns that older men face, especially prostate cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer death in men over 75.

Younger men may not be very familiar with their prostate, the walnut-shaped gland that wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. But as they get older, the prostate can start to cause problems. Men over the age of 60 are at increased risk for prostate cancer, especially if they're of African descent, they have a father or brother with the disease, or they eat a lot of burgers and processed meats in their daily diet.

It can be hard to pinpoint prostate cancer symptoms, because they usually start late in the disease and they can mimic symptoms of a benign, enlarged prostate, which is also more common in older men. Symptoms like a slow urine stream, dribbling, blood in the urine, or straining while urinating can be signs of either condition. An enlarged prostate can also confuse the results of a PSA test, which is used to screen for prostate cancer.

So, if your doctor thinks you might have prostate cancer, you may need a biopsy, which is a procedure that removes a small piece of prostate tissue and sends it to the lab to check for cancer. Then a scoring system called the Gleason grade is used to tell how fast your cancer might spread. Your Gleason grade will help decide what treatment you get.

Early-stage prostate cancers that haven't spread are often removed with surgery, and then treated with radiation therapy to kill any remaining cancer cells. Prostate cancer surgery may affect your ability to have sex and control urine, so talk about these issues with your doctor before you have the procedure.

Because prostate cancer tends to grow very slowly, your doctor may want to just monitor you with PSA tests and biopsies, and avoid treatment unless the cancer starts to spread. Prostate cancer that has spread is usually treated with surgery, chemotherapy, or hormone therapy.

If your doctor discovers prostate cancer in its early stages, before it spreads, it's pretty easy to treat, and even cure. Treatments can also slow down prostate cancer that's spread, and extend your survival.

Before you have to deal with a prostate cancer diagnosis, ask your doctor for ways to prevent and screen for the disease. Eating a healthy, low-fat diet that's high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids might help lower your risk. There are also drugs called finasteride and dutasteride that are used in some men to prevent prostate cancer. Talk with your doctor about the pros and cons of these drugs, as well as the possible benefits and risks of having your PSA levels tested.

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
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