Prostate Cancer

This year in the United States, almost 180,000 men will be told that they have prostate cancer. After a diagnosis of prostate cancer, a man and his family face several choices regarding treatment. Decisions involve many factors, personal as well as medical. Before making these decisions, it is very important to learn about all the options available. With this knowledge, a newly diagnosed prostate cancer patient can participate more confidently with his doctor in planning his individual treatment.

Stages of Prostate Cancer

Stage 1

• Tumor not detectable by imaging or clinical exam
• Low grade tumor
• Less than 5% of tissue specimen

Stage 2

• Tumor not detectable by imaging or clinical exam. May be found in one or more lobes by needle biopsy
• Moderate to High grade tumor
• Over 5% of tissue specimen

Stage 3

• Tumor extends beyond prostate capsule. Can invade seminal vesicles.
• Any grade tumor

Stage 4

• Tumor is fixed or invades adjacent structures other than seminal vesicles, such as sphincter, bladder neck, wall of pelvis, and rectum
• Tumor spread to lymph nodes or metasteses
• Any grade tumor

Statistical Overview

By age 50, about one-third of American men have microscopic signs of prostate cancer. By age 75, half to three-quarters of men will have some cancerous changes in their prostate glands. Most of these cancers remain latent, producing no signs of symptoms, or are so indolent, or slow-growing, that they never become a serious threat to health.

A much smaller number of men will actually be treated for prostate cancer. About 16 percent of American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lives; 8 percent will develop significant symptoms; and 3 percent will die of the disease.