Prostate cancer
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What is prostate cancer?
- Prostate cancer begins in the prostate, a gland that is part of the male reproductive system1
- Almost all prostate cancers develop from the gland cells of the prostate1
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Types of prostate cancer
- 90% of prostate cancer is of a type called acinar adenocarcinoma2
- Other, much rarer, types include: ductal adenocarcinoma, transitional cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, carcinoid, small-cell cancer, sarcomas, and sarcomatoid cancers2
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Who gets prostate cancer?
- Prostate cancer only affects males1,3
- The chance of developing prostate cancer increases with age, and most cases occur in males aged over 50 years3
- It is the 2nd most common cancer in men worldwide4
- More than 1 million cases were diagnosed worldwide in 20124
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Screening, detection and diagnosis
- There are 2 tests that may be used to screen for prostate cancer:
- Digital rectal examination5
- Prostate specific antigen blood test5
- Diagnosis is made on the basis of the following tests:
- Digital rectal examination2,3
- Prostate specific antigen blood test2
- Rectal ultrasound2
- Sample biopsy taken during ultrasound scan2
- And the following tests may also be used: MRI, template biopsy, and targeted biopsy2
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Patient guidelines
A patient guideline is a document containing information for patients and their families about their disease and the treatment options available to them.
Click here to see the European patient guideline on your condition.6
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Local support groups
Contacting a support group may help you during diagnosis and treatment and afterwards.
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Infographics
Click here for information on the incidence of prostate cancer in Europe.
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