About Prostate Cancer

Overview:

• Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America.
• In the United States, 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime.

Learn more about the symptoms to watch out for, screening recommendations, causes, and survival rates.

Symptoms:

Unfortunately, there usually aren’t any early warning signs for prostate cancer. The growing tumor does not push against anything to cause pain, so for many years the disease may be silent. That’s why screening for prostate cancer is such an important topic for all men and their families.

When your doctor suspects you may have prostate cancer, what comes next is a careful series of tests and examinations that will confirm the diagnosis and assess the extent of the disease. Most prostate cancer cases are highly treatable, but first, your care team needs to exactly what you’re dealing with.

Learn more and watch the video overview

Causes:

If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer, your mind might be racing, trying to figure out what happened. What went wrong? What could we have done differently so that this wouldn’t happen? The answer is simple, but unsatisfying: doctors and researchers really don’t know—yet.

There are three well-established risk factors for prostate cancer diagnosis: Black race, family history of prostate cancer, and increasing age. (Learn more about risk factors for prostate cancer.) Additional factors, like smoking and obesity, are linked to aggressive prostate cancer and worse outcomes once a man is diagnosed.

One of the biggest apparent underlying factors is one we have little control over: our genes.  Learn More and watch the video overview.

Risk Factors:

As indicated by the rates of diagnosis, age is the biggest—but not the only—risk factor for prostate cancer. Other important factors include:

• Family history
• Genetic factors
• Race

Genes for disease can run in families. Men who have a relative with prostate cancer may be twice as likely to develop the disease, while those with 2 or more relatives are nearly 4 times as likely to be diagnosed. The risk is even higher if the affected family members were diagnosed before age 65.

As we begin to unlock the genetic underpinnings of cancer, we realize more and more that men may also be at increased risk of prostate cancer if they have a strong family history of other cancers, such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, or pancreatic cancer.

Because family members share many genes, there may be multiple genetic factors that contribute to the overall risk of prostate cancer in a family. However, there are also some individual gene changes (mutations) that we now know increase the risk of prostate cancer, and men with these mutations may need to be screened differently or consider changes in treatment.

Scientists don’t yet know why, but men of African descent are about 75% more likely to develop prostate cancer compared with white men, and about two times more likely to die from the disease.  Learn More.

Myths and Non-Risks:

Sexual Activity: High levels of sexual activity or frequent ejaculation have been rumored to increase prostate cancer risk. This is untrue. In fact, studies show that men who report more frequent ejaculations may have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.

Vasectomy: Having a vasectomy was originally thought to increase a man’s risk, but this has since been disproven.

Medications: Several recent studies have shown a link between aspirin intake and a reduced risk of prostate cancer by 10-15%. This may result from different screening practices, through a reduction of inflammation, or other unknown factors.

Statin use: The class of drugs called statins – known to lower cholesterol – has also recently been linked to a reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer in some studies.

Alcohol: There is no known direct link between alcohol and prostate cancer risk.

Vitamin E: Recent studies have not shown a benefit in consumption of vitamin E or selenium (in the formulations studied) in the prevention of prostate cancer.

(Some of the information on this page is adapted from Dr. Patrick Walsh’s Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer.)

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Treatment Side Effects:

Because the prostate is close to several vital structures, prostate cancer and its treatments can disrupt normal urinary, bowel, and sexual functioning. This section discusses side effects that might be experienced as well as advice on managing those side effects.

Early management of side effects has been shown to help patients live longer, better lives.

It is very important that you communicate with your doctors about the side effects that you are experiencing as you undergo treatment. Ongoing and proactive communication will enable your doctor to manage your side effects as early as possible to prevent worsening or development of downstream complications.

Learn More

Prevention and Living Well:

The ultimate goal is to prevent men from developing prostate cancer. Although significant progress has been made and genetic and environmental risk factors for prostate cancer have been identified, the evidence is not strong enough for conclusive recommendations on prostate cancer prevention overall.

However, diet and lifestyle modifications have been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer progression, and can help men with prostate cancer live longer and better lives. Learn More

1. Adopt an “anti-inflammatory diet,” low in red meat, sugar, processed foods, and dairy products, and high in foods that fight inflammation.
2. Exercise regularly, within the bounds of safety for your personal physical fitness level. Even moderate exercise has been shown to reduce a man’s chance of developing lethal forms of prostate cancer.
3. Swap red meat for plant-based protein and fish. Saturated fat in red meat is a cause of inflammation, which is associated with cancer and other chronic diseases. Avoid trans fatty acids (e.g., margarine, packaged baked goods).
4. Watch your calcium intake. Very high amounts of calcium may increase risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Try to get most of your calcium from plant-based food sources (e.g., almonds, tofu, leafy greens) rather than supplements, unless your doctor has advised otherwise.
5. Incorporate a variety of brightly-colored vegetables into your meals. Vegetables contain naturally-occurring antioxidants that protect your cells from damage by “mopping up” harmful free radicals.
6. Avoid smoking for many reasons. Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.
7. Seek medical treatment for high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and depression. Treating these conditions may save your life and will improve your survivorship with prostate cancer.
8. Avoid over-the-counter supplements, unless recommended by your doctor. While a multivitamin is not likely to be harmful, you probably don’t need it if you follow a healthy diet with lots of vegetables, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils.
9. Relax and enjoy life. Reducing stress in the workplace and home will improve your survivorship and lead to a longer, happier life.
10. For men 45 or older (40 or older for Black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer), discuss the risks and benefits of screening with a PSA test with your doctor. Early detection is key.

Learn More

Prostate Cancer Frequently Asked Questions

How common is prostate cancer?

• Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men in the U.S., and the 4th most common tumor diagnosed worldwide.
• In the United States, 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime.
• For Black men, 1 in 6 will develop prostate cancer and are more than twice as likely to die from the disease.
• In 2023, more than 288,000 U.S. men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and more than 34,000 will die from the disease. That’s one new case diagnosed every 2 minutes and another death from prostate cancer every 15 minutes.
• A man is more likely to develop prostate cancer than he is to develop colon, kidney, melanoma, and stomach cancers combined.
• It is estimated that more than 3 million U.S. men are living with prostate cancer.

How does prostate cancer compare with other cancers?

• Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men in the U.S., and the 4th most common tumor diagnosed worldwide.
• A man is more likely to develop prostate cancer than he is to develop colon, kidney, melanoma, and stomach cancers combined.

Are some men more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer?

• The chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer increases rapidly after age 50. About 6 in 10 of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65.
• For Black men, 1 in 6 will develop prostate cancer and are more than twice as likely to die from the disease. You can read more about prostate cancer in Black men here.
• Prostate cancer is among the most heritable of the major human cancers; It is estimated that more than half (57%) of prostate cancer risk is due to genetic factors.

How treatable is prostate cancer?

More than 80% of all prostate cancers are detected when the cancer is in the prostate or the region around it, so treatment success rates are high compared to most other types of cancer in the body. The 5-year overall survival rates in the United States for men diagnosed with local or regional prostate cancer exceed 99%. In other words, the chances of men dying from their prostate cancer is generally low. However, prostate cancer comes in many forms, and some prostate cancers can be aggressive even when they first appear to be confined to the prostate.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer? If there are no symptoms, how is prostate cancer detected?

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

If the cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. Some men, however, will experience symptoms such as frequent, hesitant, or burning urination, difficulty in having an erection, or pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips or upper thighs.

Because these symptoms can also indicate the presence of other diseases or disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms will undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms. You can read more about prostate cancer symptoms here.

If there are no symptoms, how is prostate cancer detected?

Screening for prostate cancer can be performed in a physician’s office. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing is the current test of choice for prostate cancer screening. During a PSA test, a small amount of blood is drawn from the arm, and the level of PSA is measured.

When there’s a problem with the prostate—such as the development and growth of prostate cancer—more PSA is released. This can be the first indicator of prostate cancer. More testing, such as digital rectal exam (DRE), imaging, and, ultimately, a biopsy, is required to confirm a diagnosis.

How is prostate cancer treated?

There are a wide variety of treatment options available for men with prostate cancer, including surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy and chemotherapy, any or all of which might be used at different times depending on the stage of disease and the need for treatment.

Consultation with all three types of prostate cancer specialists—a urologist, a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist—will offer the most comprehensive assessment of the available treatments and expected outcomes. For men with advanced disease or an increased risk due to family history or lifestyle, precision treatments based on genetic screening may be recommended.

More information regarding treatments for prostate cancer can be found on our website here.

Where can I find more information about prostate cancer and the different treatment options available?

Additional information about prostate cancer can be found through our Understanding Prostate Cancer section, our guides and the Treatment Options section of our website. You can order a paper copy or download our guides in pdf format here.

What can I do to help prevent prostate cancer?

1. Eat fewer calories and exercise more so that you maintain a healthy weight.

2. Try to keep the amount of fat you get from red meat and dairy products to a minimum.

3. Watch your calcium intake. Do not take supplemental doses far above the recommended daily allowance. Some calcium is OK, but avoid taking more than 1,200 mg per day.

4. Eat more fish – evidence from several studies suggest that fish can help protect against prostate cancer because they have “good fat,” particularly omega-3 fatty acids. Avoid trans fatty acids (for example, in margarine).

5. Incorporate cooked tomatoes (prepared with olive oil), which may be beneficial, and cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and cauliflower) into many of your weekly meals. Soy-based foods and green tea are also potential dietary components that may be helpful.

6. Avoid smoking for many reasons. Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.

7. Seek medical treatment for stress, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and depression. Treating these conditions may save your life and will improve your survivorship with prostate cancer.

8. Avoid over-supplementation with megavitamins. While a multivitamin is not likely to be harmful, you probably don’t need it if you follow a healthy diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils. Ask your doctor about herbal supplements as some may harm you or interfere with treatment.

9. Relax and enjoy life. Reducing stress in the workplace and home will improve your survivorship and lead to a longer, happier life.

10. For men 45 or older (40 or older for Black men or those with a family history of prostate cancer), discuss the risks and benefits of screening with a PSA test and, if indicated, a rectal examination, with your doctor.

Download a PDF version of this list here

What is the Prostate Cancer Foundation doing to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer?

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world’s leading philanthropic organization dedicated to funding life-saving prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has been responsible for raising close to $1 billion in support of cutting-edge research by more than 2,200 research projects at 245 leading cancer centers in 28 countries around the world. Since PCF’s inception, and through its efforts, patients around the world are living longer, suffering fewer complications, and enjoying better quality of life. PCF is committed to creating a global public square for prostate cancer, in service to our mission of ending death and suffering from the disease.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation has accomplished a great deal, but there is still much more to do. Please join us in this race to find a cure for prostate cancer and donate today.

What should you do if you or someone you love has just been diagnosed with prostate cancer?

There are many options for treatment at all stages of prostate cancer. If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, make sure to get on the “right track”: that is, the right team, the right tests, and the right treatments, right from the start. Learn more at pcf.org/therighttrack.