What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is when cells in the prostate gland become abnormal and grow uncontrollably. In some cases, the cancer grows too slowly to cause major problems, but sometimes it can grow quickly and treatment is needed to stop it from spreading to the rest of the body.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer type found in men in the UK with one in eight men being diagnosed* Cancer Research UK during their lifetime. This type of cancer often starts in the outer part of the prostate gland, but it can develop in any prostate tissue.
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If you’re looking for the latest diagnostics and treatments, or a second opinion our team can help you.
Where is prostate cancer found?
Prostate cancer is found in the prostate gland. The prostate gland sits under the bladder around the urethra, and is about the shape and size of a walnut. It makes prostate fluid, found in semen, and a protein called prostate specific antigen (PSA).
Causes of prostate cancer
The exact cause of prostate cancer is not known. This makes it difficult for doctors to determine who may or may not develop the condition. Many factors can mean you have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. But having one or more of these doesn’t mean you definitely will get it.
Risk factors for prostate cancer
You have an increased risk of prostate cancer if:
- You’re older – your prostate cancer risk increases with age; most cases are diagnosed in men over the age of 50
- You have a family history of prostate cancer
- You’re overweight or have obesity
- You have different hormone levels – research shows men with higher levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer
- Your ethnicity is black - research shows, in the UK about 1 in 4 black men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime
Prostate cancer symptoms
Early prostate cancer does not usually have any symptoms. However, you may start to notice some urinary problems as the tumour grows bigger and starts to press on your urethra. Prostate cancer signs and symptoms may include:
Difficulty starting urination
Difficulty starting urination
Finding it difficulty to start urination
Difficulty emptying your bladder
Difficulty emptying your bladder
Finding it hard to fully empty your bladder or feeling like your bladder hasn’t emptied properly
Weak urine flow
Weak urine flow
You have a weak urine flow
Urinating more often, particularly at night
Urinating more often, particularly at night
Needing to urinate more often, particularly during the night
Urge to urinate
Urge to urinate
Sudden urges to urinate
Leaking of urine
Leaking of urine
Leaking of urine, which might be just before or after you go to the toilet
Bone pain
Bone pain
Bone pain or pain in your back, hip or pelvis
Difficulty with erections
Difficulty with erections
Difficulty in achieving and maintaining an erection
Blood in urine
Blood in urine
Blood in the urine or semen
Weight
Weight
Unexplained weight loss
Private prostate check
If you're worried about symptoms, you can be seen within 24 hours, with a leading urologist who, specialises in diagnosing and treating urinary and prostate-related problems at one of our UrologyHubs.
How is prostate cancer diagnosed?
Your doctor may perform a digital rectal examination (DRE) to assess how your prostate feels. They may also arrange for you to have a blood test called a PSA test. High levels of a substance called prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in your blood can be a sign of prostate cancer. However, your PSA level can also naturally increase as you age.
If your doctor thinks you should see a specialist for more tests, you might have an MRI scan or a prostate biopsy. If these tests show you have prostate cancer, further tests and scans help decide the next steps and if you need treatment. You might have a CT scan, PET-CT scan, or a bone scan.
Our GenesisCare centres also offer more advanced prostate cancer diagnosis techniques, such as:
- mpMRI scans with MINT reporting – a more detailed scan than a traditional MRI scan using the most advanced computer software to help categorise and target suspicious areas in the prostate
- Transperineal prostate biopsy
- Vector prostate biopsy – an innovative and highly accurate, prostate biopsy technique using image fusion software and recent advances in tracking technology to improve accuracy and your comfort during the local anaesthetic procedure and reducing side effects
- 68Gallium PSMA PET/CT scans
- Radioisotope bone scans – for detecting and staging prostate cancer and monitoring ongoing treatment
These sophisticated technologies allow us to make fast and accurate treatment decisions.
How to check for prostate cancer
Know the symptoms of prostate cancer and how to get checked. Learn about what you can do to check for prostate cancer, the tests and scans that are used, and when and how to get them.
Prostate cancer stages
T1 and T2 is where the cancerous cells are only in the prostate, this is also called localised or early stage prostate cancer. T3 is where the cancer has spread to the outer part of the prostate gland and possibly tissues nearby, such as the seminal vesicles, this is also called locally advanced prostate cancer.
Where the cancer has spread beyond the prostate such as the bladder and rectum.
Where the cancer has spread to lymph nodes or glands in the pelvis.
Where the prostate cancer has spread through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to other parts of the body. Metastatic spread in prostate cancer most commonly affects the bones and lymph nodes.
Prostate cancer treatment
If you have prostate cancer, your treatment options depend on the stage and grade of your cancer, your age and general health.
Your doctor may recommend active surveillance if the cancer is unlikely to cause you problems because it is slow-growing. Active surveillance, means you’ll have regular follow-ups to monitor the cancer. You’ll only have treatment if it changes or progresses to spare you from unnecessary side effects.
If you need prostate cancer treatment, common treatment options include:
Surgery
Surgery
Surgery to remove your prostate, called a radical prostatectomy
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy
Conventional radiotherapy (radiation therapy) or brachytherapy – a form of internal radiotherapy
MRIdian radiotherapy
MRIdian radiotherapy
The MRIdian is a new type of linac used for SABR. Prostate SABR is a form of focal radiotherapy which enables a curative course of radiotherapy to be delivered in 5 treatments.
Hormone therapy
Hormone therapy
Hormone therapy, also called androgen deprivation therapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy to treat cancer that’s spread beyond the prostate
Theranostics for advanced disease
Theranostics for advanced disease
Theranostics, such as 177Lutetium PSMA therapy or Radium-223 therapy
Other treatment options include cryotherapy and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). However, doctors and scientists are still looking at how effective these treatments are, using the latest prostate cancer research and clinical trials.
Treatment for recurrent prostate cancer
Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) is a highly targeted form of radiotherapy which can be used to treat prostate cancer and locally recurrent prostate cancer that has returned to the prostate or prostate bed after treatment that aimed to cure if it hasn’t spread elsewhere. This is known as prostate cancer reirradiation.
At GenesisCare we deliver repeat radiotherapy to the prostate on the MRIdian MR linac. The high accuracy of treatment means radiation is precisely focused on the tumour, minimising exposure to healthy surrounding tissues that may have already been exposed to radiation in the past.
Prostate cancer treatment at GenesisCare
Learn about the latest treatments we offer for prostate cancer, including advanced radiotherapy techniques that reduce side effects, chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Our highly experienced teams ensure you get a personalised cancer care plan tailored to you.
FAQs
If you’re diagnosed with prostate cancer, your doctor will also give it a grade. This is done by looking at how different prostate cancer cells from a prostate biopsy look compared to healthy cells and giving it a Gleason score. This scoring system helps your doctor work out how quickly your cancer is likely to progress. High-grade prostate cancers are more likely to grow and spread quickly.
Prostate cancer is usually slow-growing (low-grade prostate cancer). If you don’t have symptoms, you can live for many years without it spreading and becoming life-threatening. As men live longer, prostate cancer can cause more problems. Treatment is often recommended to kill off cancerous cells before the cancer spreads. Early detection and careful monitoring with or without treatment are essential.
Early prostate cancer may have very few signs or symptoms. Symptoms to look out for include urinary problems, changes to your sexual health, unexplained weight loss or pain in your back, hips or pelvis. It’s important to visit a medical professional to check these symptoms out and have further investigations. They will not always be due to prostate cancer and in fact a non-cancerous enlarged prostate can cause many of the same symptoms.
Your prostate cancer outcome depends on the stage and grade of your cancer. An early diagnosis means you’ll have more treatment options and improved outcomes. Our MRIdian radiotherapy offers patients with early-stage prostate cancer the latest technology to accurately target the prostate tumour with curative-intent.
Women who were assigned female at birth do not have a prostate and cannot get prostate cancer.
Reviewed by:
Dr Nicola Dallas
Consultant Clinical Oncologist
May 2023
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