Prostate cancer
Find out about the risk factors, signs and symptoms of prostate cancer – and how modern screening and testing can support early detection.
Overview
There are over 300,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the US each year, with an average lifetime risk of 1 in 8 or 12.5%. Prostate cancer most commonly affects men aged 65 or older.
Common risk factors
Prostate cancer risk is influenced by a small number of well-established factors, some of which cannot be changed, but which can help guide decisions about screening and follow-up.
The key prostate cancer risks include:
Age
Age is by far the most significant risk factor for prostate cancer, with around 60% of men diagnosed over the age of 65.
Ethnicity
Prostate cancer risk varies by ethnicity. African American men and Caribbean men of African Ancestry have a higher lifetime risk (around 1 in 6) and are more likely to develop prostate cancer at a younger age. The risk is lower in Asian American, Hispanic and Latino men compared to non-Hispanic White men.
Family history
Having a close relative (father or brother) diagnosed with prostate cancer increases the risk two-fold, particularly if the diagnosis occurred at a younger age, or if more than one close relative is affected.
Men from families with inherited breast cancer linked to BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations are also at higher risk of prostate cancer.
Lifestyle Factors
Unlike other cancers, there are no known lifestyle factors that have been shown to strongly influence prostate cancer risk. However, maintaining a healthy lifestyle supports overall wellbeing and prostate health.
Symptoms to look out for
The symptoms of prostate cancer can be similar to those caused by benign enlargement of the prostate (BPH), which is common as men get older. For this reason, it’s important to be aware of any new or persistent urinary symptoms.
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to speak to your Primary Care Physician, even if they seem mild.
Common prostate cancer symptoms include:
Be Prostate Aware
Are you showing any signs of these common symptoms of suspected prostate cancer?
Needing to rush to the toilet to pass urine
Passing urine more than usual, especially at night
Difficulty in passing urine
Feeling that your bladder has not emptied fully
Blood in urine or blood in semen
Needing to rush to the toilet to pass urine
Passing urine more than usual, especially at night
Difficulty in passing urine
Feeling that your bladder has not emptied fully
Blood in urine or blood in semen
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to speak to your Primary Care Physician, even if they seem mild.
How to reduce your risk
Screening
Guidance from the American Cancer Society recommends that men aged 50 or over should discuss the potential benefits and harms of prostate screening using the PSA blood test with a healthcare professional.
Men at higher risk – including those with a family history of prostate cancer (father or brother), or those with African American heritage – are advised to begin these discussions earlier, from around age 45.
Advances in prostate cancer screening and early detection
Prostate cancer screening and early detection are increasingly moving toward more personalised, risk-based approaches. Factors such as baseline PSA level, age, ethnicity, family history and inherited genetic markers (including BRCA1 and BRCA2) are being used to tailor screening intervals and referral decisions more precisely.
MRI-first diagnostic pathways are becoming more common and, when combined with AI-assisted image interpretation, can improve detection of clinically significant prostate cancer while reducing unnecessary biopsies. New blood and urine-based tests, such as the Michigan
Prostate Score (MiPS), may also help refine risk assessment in men with borderline PSA results.
Together, these developments aim to detect prostate cancers that are more likely to need treatment at an earlier stage, while avoiding unnecessary investigations and treatment for cancers that may never cause harm.
Clinical insight informed by specialist advice from Professor Simon Russell, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Cambridge University Hospital (UK).
Getting tested
Screening
Patients with an elevated PSA blood test for their age are likely to be investigated by MRI scan of the prostate to look for any suspicious areas that can be targeted for a biopsy.
If you have symptoms
Men with any urinary symptoms that could be related to the prostate gland would normally have a PSA blood test prior to referral to a prostate cancer specialist.