Urological Disorders

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer statistics:

The fear of having prostate cancer can be devastating to men. However, it is most successfully treated when found early. Consider these statistics from the American Cancer Society:

Sixty percent of all prostate cancers are discovered while they are still localized.
The five-year survival rate for men diagnosed with prostate tumors discovered at this stage is 100 percent, including:
- 68 percent survive beyond 10 years
- 52 percent survive beyond 15 years
In the past 20 years, the survival rate for all stages has risen from 67 percent to 93 percent.

What are risk factors for prostate cancer?

In general, all men are at risk for prostate cancer, but there are specific risk factors that increase the likelihood that certain men will develop the disease. These include:

age: especially men age 50 and older -- more than 75 percent of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65.

race: prostate cancer is nearly twice as common among African-American men than it is among white American men.

diet: studies suggest that men who eat a lot of fat have a greater chance of developing prostate cancer.

family history of prostate cancer: having a father or brother with prostate cancer doubles a man's risk of developing this disease, and may be higher for men with several affected relatives -- particularly if the relatives were young at the time of diagnosis.

Prostate cancer evaluations:
Early prostate cancer may have no symptoms and can only be found by regular prostate check-ups by your doctor. Do not let fear and anxiety keep you from having the tests you need. These tests can often detect, or help rule out, prostate cancer.

Follow-up visits with your doctor are extremely important if you have had an unusual DRE (digital rectal exam) or if your PSA (prostate specific antigen) level is high. Your doctor may order more tests or suggest repeating the PSA tests.

Diagnosing prostate cancer:
Diagnosing prostate cancer is a multi-step process usually consisting of one, or more, of the following evaluations:

DRE (digital rectal examinations) as recommended by your physician -- usually annually for men over the age of 50. Men in high-risk groups, such as African Americans, or those with a strong family history of prostate cancer, should talk with their physicians about being tested at a younger age.

PSA (prostate-specific antigen) and PAP (prostatic acid phosphatase) as recommended by your physician -- usually annually for men over the age of 50. Men in high-risk groups, such as African Americans, or those with a strong family history of prostate cancer, should talk with their physicians about being tested at a younger age.

Other prostate cancer evaluation procedures:
If the DRE or PSA are unusual, your doctor may repeat the tests or request an ultrasound and other procedures. These evaluation tools may include:

transrectal ultrasound
imaging procedures, such as computerized tomography scans, MRI scans, or others
biopsy

The diagnosis of cancer is confirmed only by a biopsy -- the removal of a small tissue sample for microscopic examination.

This page was last updated on: February 28, 2008.

For more information, call the University Physicians Consultation and Referral Service at 1-800-492-5538 (patients) or 1-800-373-4111 (physicians).

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