Last updated: Sep 15, 2025Published on: Sep 15, 2025
Table of Contents
Introduction
The prostate is a small gland in the male reproductive system, which is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine and semen out of the body. The main function of the prostate is to produce a white, milky fluid called semen that helps carry sperm. The prostate muscles push out the semen during ejaculation through the urethra1.
So, what is prostate cancer? When the cells in the prostate start growing abnormally, it can turn into prostate cancer. In the early stage, these cells grow in a confined place within the prostate gland. But in advanced stages, the cancer spreads beyond the prostate to nearby tissues, adjacent lymph nodes, and to other parts of the body2.
Among men, prostate cancer ranks as the second most common type of cancer worldwide. The risk of developing prostate cancer is higher in men over the age of 50, and this risk continues to increase as men grow older3,4.
In this blog, we will explore the causes, early symptoms, available prostate cancer treatments, and ways to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.
Causes & Risk Factors
Prostate cancer develops due to various causes and risk factors. The reasons for prostate cancer include:
Family History: If there is someone in your family who got prostate cancer, there is a risk of you getting it because of a genetic or inherited factor that causes it. Especially if the relative who got cancer is young, the risk is higher.
Genetics: When certain inherited gene changes occur in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes (which cause breast or ovarian cancer) it could cause prostate cancer. Men with Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC), also called Lynch syndrome (a genetic condition that increases the risk of several types of cancer), have a higher chance of getting prostate cancer due to these genetic alterations.
Age: As you age, the risk of getting prostate cancer increases. It is rare below 40 years, but after 50, the risk increases rapidly.
Race: The risk is higher in African Black men than in others, and they may also get more aggressive, advanced-stage cancer. The risk is less in Asian American and Hispanic men than in non-Hispanic white men5.
Diet: Another prostate cancer cause could be your diet. Those who eat a lot of red meat and processed meat have a high risk of getting prostate cancer.
Other factors like obesity and chronic inflammation of the prostate gland, may also contribute to an increased risk of prostate cancer5,6.
How to Recognise Early Signs & Symptoms
The signs of prostate cancer don’t usually show in the early stage, but if they do appear, they can be like
Weak urine flow, starting and stopping in between
Pain or burning while urinating
Sudden urge to urinate
Frequently urinating at night
In advanced stages, the prostate cancer symptoms may include:
Blood in semen
Blood in urine (rarely)
Bone pain
Pain in the hip
Loss of bladder or bowel control due to cancer growth pressing on the spinal cord
Weak or numb legs and feet
The urinary symptoms are seen when the prostate is enlarged and pressing on the urethra, which affects the flow of urine. But these symptoms can also be seen in conditions other than cancer. Therefore you need to visit a doctor, who will do certain tests and find out if you have prostate cancer5,7.
Diagnosis & Stages of Prostate Cancer
Since early-stage prostate cancer does not show symptoms, it is usually detected only through screening. When symptoms are seen in advanced prostate cancer stages, certain tests are done to diagnose prostate cancer, including:
Doctor taking history and doing physical exam: Your doctor will ask about your urinary symptoms, sexual problems, and bone pain.
Digital rectal exam: The doctor will do this examination by inserting a gloved finger into the rectum to feel if the prostate is hardened. Based on this, the doctor may ask you to take blood tests.
PSA blood test: The prostate produces prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The normal level should be less than 4. If it goes above the range of 4 to 10, then the chance of having prostate cancer is about 50%. This PSA test is done as a screening test for those without symptoms and also for those with symptoms it helps to confirm diagnosis.
Transrectal ultrasound: If your PSA levels are abnormal, this scan is done. A probe is inserted into your rectum and pictures of your prostate are viewed on a computer. This shows the size of the prostate and any changes.
Prostate biopsy: Based on symptoms and blood tests, if your doctor suspects you may have prostate cancer, he will ask you to get a biopsy done. A small area of tissue is taken from the prostate and examined under a microscope to check for cancer cells and to stage your cancer.
Other tests: If cancer is suspected to have spread to the bones, tests like bone scan, CT scan, or MRI scan may be needed in advanced stages, when the cancer has spread outside the prostate to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Based on these blood tests, scans, and biopsy reports, prostate cancer is classified into stages. There are 5 main things they look at to stage prostate cancer:
T category: This measures the size of the tumour and whether it has grown outside the prostate, based on exams, scans, and biopsy results.
N category: This shows whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.
M category: This indicates whether the cancer has spread to other distant parts of the body.
PSA level: This assesses the risk of cancer spreading, with higher levels suggesting greater risk.
Grade Group (Gleason score): This is based on biopsy results and determines how quickly the cancer may grow or spread.
Based on these five factors, the table below shows the stage of prostate cancer, where the cancer is located, the TNM basics, and its category5,8.
Stage
Cancer characteristics
TNM basics
PSA level
Extent of cancer
Stage I
Cancer is only in the prostate. May be very small, may not be felt or seen on imaging.
T1 (tumour is small, only in prostate), N0 (no lymph node spread), M0 (no spread to other organs)
Low (less than 10)
Localised
Stage II
Cancer is only in the prostate, larger or faster-growing
T2 (tumour larger but still in the prostate), N0 (no lymph node spread), M0 (no spread to other organs)
Moderate (between 10 and 19)
Localised
Stage III
Cancer has grown through the outer layer of the prostate into nearby tissues (such as seminal vesicles) but has not spread to distant organs.
T3–T4 (tumour has grown outside prostate), N0 (no lymph node spread), M0 (no spread to other organs)
High (20 or more)
Locally Advanced
Stage IV
Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes and/or distant parts of the body such as bones, lungs, or liver.
Any T (any tumour size), N1 (spread to lymph nodes) and/or M1 (spread to distant organs)
High (20 or more)
Metastatic
Staging of prostate cancer is important because it shows how far the cancer has spread and how the patient is likely to recover over time. It also helps doctors choose the best treatment plan for managing the disease8.
Is Prostate Cancer Curable?
Prostate cancer can often be cured especially when detected early. The treatment for prostate cancer depends on which stage the cancer is in and the overall health of the person. The type of treatment given also plays an important role in how long a patient can survive after treatment.
The average five-year survival rate of prostate cancer, that is the percentage of patients who are likely to survive the effects of cancer until or after 5 years of diagnosis, is about 97%. This also depends on the stage upon diagnosis.Most prostate cancers (about 69%) are found when the cancer is still inside the prostate. At this stage, nearly everyone (100 out of 100) lives at least 5 years after diagnosis. If the cancer has spread to nearby areas, the chances are still very good (also 100 out of 100). But if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, the chances go down, with about 38 out of 100 individuals living 5 years or more9,10.
Treatment Options Based on Stage
Based on the stage of prostate cancer, the treatment is planned by the doctor. For stages 1 to 3, the doctor classifies them into risk groups. Cancers in low-risk groups are less likely to grow or spread than those in high-risk groups. Other factors like age, general health, and life expectancy are also considered when choosing treatment.
1. Stage 1 and 2 (Localised)
The low-risk groups do not always need treatment, as the cancer is less likely to grow or spread. Doctors often suggest active surveillance, which means having regular check-ups and tests to keep an eye on the cancer.
In those groups where there is a slight chance that cancer can grow or spread faster, the prostate cancer treatment options include:
Surgery (radical prostatectomy, sometimes with removal of nearby lymph nodes)
Radiation therapy (external beam or brachytherapy)
Focal therapy: freezing the tumour (cryotherapy) or destroying it with focused ultrasound (HIFU); used only in special cases and not usually the first choice
If surgery shows aggressive features, follow-up radiation therapy may be advised and hormone therapy if needed.
2. Stage 3 (Locally advanced)
If prostate cancer is more aggressive and has a higher chance of growing and spreading quickly, treatment options often include:
Radiation therapy (external beam, sometimes with brachytherapy) given along with hormone therapy for 1–3 years.
Surgery (radical prostatectomy) with removal of nearby lymph nodes.
Hormone therapy to stop the body from producing testosterone. This can be medical (androgen deprivation therapy, LHRH agonists and anti-androgens) or surgical (orchiectomy- removal of testicles).
If surgery shows the cancer is aggressive, doctors might recommend follow-up radiation to the area where the prostate used to be, possibly with hormone therapy.
3. Stage 4 (Advanced stage)
If cancer spreads to nearby lymph nodes but not to distant organs, radiation is given along with hormone therapy, if needed. Surgery of the prostate and lymph nodes may also be an option.
If the cancer has spread to distant organs, treatment options include:
Chemotherapy with drugs like docetaxel (first line) or mitoxantrone along with steroids (prednisolone)
Drugs like bisphosphonates if cancer spreads to bones
For very high-risk cancers, doctors may add newer hormone drugs like abiraterone.
Other treatments to help manage symptoms like bone pain include external radiation, sometimes in a precise form called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Bone-strengthening medicine like denosumab or zoledronic acid may help, and radioactive drugs such as radium-223, strontium-89, or samarium-153 can also be used.
If the cancer comes back or keeps growing, treatments like immunotherapy, targeted drugs, chemotherapy, or more hormone therapy may be given as the doctor advises5,11.
There are some side effects from prostate cancer treatment, based on the type of treatment used that can include the following:
Surgery: It may cause urine leaks, trouble getting or keeping an erection, bleeding from the bottom, blood clots, lung problems, and infections.
Radiation: Some may experience trouble with erections, pain or irritation near the bottom, diarrhoea, and bladder problems like burning, blood in pee, or leaks.
Hormone Therapy: It can lower male hormones and cause weak erections, less interest in sex, muscle loss, weight gain, weak bones, hot flashes, sweating, and breast swelling. Sometimes, it can also affect blood sugar and fats5.
If you have side effects from prostate cancer treatment, talk to your doctor who will guide you on how to manage them.
How to Avoid or Lower Your Risk?
You can lower the risks of getting prostate cancer by making a few lifestyle changes which include:
Maintain healthy weight and stay active: There is a high risk of getting advanced prostate cancer for men with increased body weight. Therefore, maintaining a healthy weight is important. It’s good to indulge in physical activity regularly.
Eat healthy diet: Eating a lot of colourful fruits and vegetables can provide vitamins and antioxidants that protect your cells. Whole grains are much better than processed food. Try to limit eating red meats like beef or processed meats like sausages and bacon, as these can increase the risk of cancer. Don’t consume excessive sugary drinks and junk food as it can lead to weight gain and increase the risk.
Limit calcium intake: Too much calcium from supplements or diet may increase prostate cancer risk. For those with high risk, it is better to avoid high doses unless your doctor has advised it12.
Quit smoking: Cigarette smoke contains many harmful chemicals which can cause different types of cancer including prostate cancer. Therefore, it is advised to stop smoking to lower the risk13.
Get regular screening: Men above age 50 or those with family history of prostate cancer should get regular screening. PSA test is commonly used for screening. High PSA levels don’t always mean cancer, but your doctor will do further evaluation to confirm7,14.
Supplements: Folic acid-rich food such as green vegetables, beans and orange juice may lower risk of prostate cancer, but high-dose folic acid supplement may not help. Lycopene and soy protein may show benefit to reduce risk, although further studies are needed12,15.
Apart from these lifestyle changes, some medicines like finasteride and dutasteride may help lower prostate cancer risk by blocking hormones that make the prostate grow. But you must only take these if advised by your doctor12.
When to See a Doctor
Any man aged about 50 years or above needs to talk to a doctor about getting a prostate cancer screening test to check prostate health. You need to see a doctor if you have any of these prostate cancer symptoms, including14,16:
Need to urinate often at night
Weak urine flow
Difficulty starting to urinate
Sudden strong urge to urinate
Trouble emptying the bladder fully
Pain or burning while urinating
Blood in urine or semen
Pain in the lower back or hips
Unexplained weight loss
Conclusion
Prostate cancer is common in men over fifty but catching it early with regular screenings makes it easier to treat and manage well. You can also lower your risk by living healthy, staying active, eating right, quitting smoking, and getting regular prostate check-ups. Knowing the early signs and getting prompt medical attention can make a huge difference in its preventing spread and enhancing treatment outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can prostate cancer be cured if caught early?
If prostate cancer is found early, it can be treated very well. Most men (about 7 out of 10) are diagnosed when the cancer is still inside the prostate. At this stage, almost everyone lives for 5 years or more after diagnosis10.
Does prostate cancer always require surgery?
Not always. If the cancer is slow-growing or you’re older with no symptoms, doctors may just watch it closely. Surgery is usually done only if the cancer grows or spreads outside the prostate7.
Can young men get prostate cancer?
Yes, young men between 25 and 40 can get prostate cancer, but it is rare. Cases are rising because doctors are finding them more frequently through screening tests. Younger men often have more advanced cancer when diagnosed17.
How fast does prostate cancer spread?
Prostate cancer often grows slowly and stays inside the prostate for many years. Some mild types stay local and don’t spread. About 69% of cases stay local, 14% spread nearby, and 8% spread to distant parts. The types that spread fast can do so within 3 to 5 years10,18.
Huncharek M, Haddock KS, Reid R, Kupelnick B. Smoking as a Risk Factor for Prostate Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of 24 Prospective Cohort Studies. American Journal of Public Health. 2010 Apr;100(4):693–701. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2836346/
Bleyer A, Spreafico F, Barr R. Prostate cancer in young men: An emerging young adult and older adolescent challenge. Cancer [Internet]. 2019;10.1002/cncr.32498. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31553489
Van EL, McKinley MA, Washington SL, Cooperberg MR, Kenfield SA, Cheng I, et al. Trends in Prostate Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates. JAMA Network Open [Internet]. 2025 Jan 27;8(1):e2456825–5. Available from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2829547
Moreira DM, Howard LE, Sourbeer KN, Amarasekara HS, Chow LC, Cockrell DC, et al. Predictors of Time to Metastasis in Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer. Urology [Internet]. 2016 Jun 22 [cited 2025 Jun 14];96:171–6. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5536963/
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
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