About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, with roughly 313,780 new cases and 35,770 deaths expected in the U.S. in 2025, according to the American Cancer Society.
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Prostate cancer mainly affects older men; about 60% of cases are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older, and the average diagnosis age is 67. It’s rare in men under 40.
Risk varies by race: African American men and Caribbean men of African ancestry have a higher chance of developing prostate cancer compared to other groups.
After a drop in diagnoses from 2007 to 2014 due to fewer screenings, new prostate cancer cases have been increasing by about 3% annually since 2014.
Most prostate cancers are found early, through screening, according to the American Cancer Society.
The CDC put together this list of questions you can ask your doctor about prostate cancer screening.
Though early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms, prostate cancer can sometimes cause symptoms like:
- Problems urinating, including a slow or weak urinary stream or the need to urinate more often, especially at night
- Blood in the urine or semen
- Erectile dysfunction
- Pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs), or other areas from cancer that has spread to bones
- Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet, or even loss of bladder or bowel control from cancer pressing on the spinal cord
Men should discuss their personal risk and screening options with their healthcare provider.
More resources:
- Prostate cancer risk factors (American Cancer Society)
- Should I get screened for prostate cancer? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Understanding prostate changes: A health guide for men (National Cancer Institute)
- What causes prostate cancer? (American Cancer Society)
- Prostate cancer treatment options (American Cancer Society)
For more information about prostate cancer and treatment options visit cancer.org/cancer/prostate or call the American Cancer Society’s cancer hotline at (800) 227-2345.
