CDC Features

CDC Features

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. Ask your doctor about getting a prostate cancer screening test.

Prostate Cancer

Photo: A smiling man Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, and second only to lung cancer in the number of cancer deaths. In 2005 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), 185,895 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 28,905 men died from it.* CDC provides men, doctors, and policymakers with the latest information about prostate cancer.

Symptoms

Different people have different symptoms for prostate cancer. Some men do not have symptoms at all. Some symptoms of prostate cancer are—

Difficulty in starting urination.
Weak, or interrupted flow of urine.
Frequent urination, especially at night.
Difficulty in emptying the bladder completely.
Pain or burning during urination.
Blood in the urine or semen.
Pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that doesn't go away.
Painful ejaculation.

If you have any symptoms that worry you, be sure to see your doctor right away. These symptoms may be caused by conditions other than prostate cancer.

Risk Factors

Photo: A smiling man While there is no way to know for sure if you will get prostate cancer, most men who have the following factors may have a greater chance of getting prostate cancer:

Age: Men older than 50 years.
Family history: Having a father, brother, or son who has had prostate cancer.
Race: Black.

Screening for Prostate Cancer

Not all medical experts agree that screening for prostate cancer will save lives. Currently, there is not enough credible evidence to decide if the potential benefit of prostate cancer screening outweighs the potential risks. The potential benefit of prostate cancer screening is early detection of cancer, which may make treatment more effective. Potential risks include false positive test results (the test says you have cancer when you do not), treatment of prostate cancers that may never affect your health, and mild to serious side effects from treatment of prostate cancer.

Most organizations recommend that men discuss with their doctors the benefits and risks of prostate cancer screening. CDC supports informed decision making, which encourages men to talk with their doctors to learn the nature and risk of prostate cancer, understand the benefits and risks of the screening tests, and make decisions consistent with their preferences and values.

Graphic: Medical illustration showing the location of the prostate.

Tests that are commonly used to screen for prostate cancer are—

Digital rectal exam (DRE): A doctor or nurse will insert a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to feel the prostate. This allows the examiner to estimate the size of the prostate and feel for any lumps or other abnormalities.

Prostate specific antigen test (PSA): The PSA test is a blood test that measures the level of PSA in the blood.The levels of PSA in the blood can be higher in men who have prostate cancer.

Is prostate cancer screening right for you? The decision is yours. To help men aged 50 years or older understand both sides of the issue, CDC has developed several helpful guides—

Prostate Cancer Screening: A Decision Guide ( 369KB, 20 pages) presents a balanced approach to the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening and enables men, their families, and physicians to make a decision that is right for them.
Prostate Cancer Screening: A Decision Guide for African Americans ( 369KB, 20 pages) targets African-American men. At all ages, African-American men die of prostate cancer more often than other men do. The reasons for the variation among groups are unknown, making it critical that African-American men know the facts about prostate cancer and the available screening tests.
La detección del cáncer de próstata: Una guía para hispanos en los Estados Unidos ( 512KB, 24 pages) provides basic information and encourages Hispanic men to decide whether screening is the right choice for them.

* Data source: U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2005 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2009. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/uscs.