Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the second-most common cancer in men, trailing skin cancer. It’s also the second leading cause of cancer death in U.S. men, behind lung cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.

When it’s found and treated early, prostate cancer can be cured or controlled.

Nearly all men diagnosed with prostate cancer survive at least five years, while 98% survive at least 10 years and 96% survive at least 15 years.

Risk Factors

Age, family history and race are the primary risk factors.

Sixty percent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are 65 or older. Your risk is higher if your father or brother has had it.

Non-Hispanic African-American men are 1.8 times more likely than white men to experience prostate cancer and more than twice as likely to die from it.

Signs and Symptoms

As men grow older, they are more inclined to experience prostate problems. Such problems do not always indicate cancer, even though the signs might be similar.

Most prostate cancer grows slowly, and it causes no symptoms in its early stages. Therefore, it is not uncommon for men to live unknowingly with the disease for many years.

Symptoms or signs of prostate cancer may include:

  • Blood in urine or semen
  • Burning or pain while urinating
  • Difficulty urinating, frequent urination or urge to urinate at night
  • Enlarged prostate

Screening

Screening tests are used to find cancer early in people who have no symptoms. The most common screens are a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal exam (DRE).

Experts disagree on whether all men should be screened and how frequently they should be screened. Talk to your primary care provider for guidance.

Diagnosis

If cancer is suspected, your provider will request a prostate biopsy.

If cancer is found, you may undergo further testing, such as CT or MRI scans, to determine whether the disease has spread.

Treatment

Once diagnosed, you will meet with our OSF HealthCare multidisciplinary team, including medical oncology, radiation oncology and surgery specialists.

You will discuss options and work with them to determine the treatment best suited for you.

Our team will work with you through necessary follow-up and rehabilitation to focus on recovery.

OSF HealthCare offers a full range of treatment options for early-stage and late-stage prostate cancer, including:

Related Articles