Prostate cancer

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

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

Who gets prostate cancer?

• Prostate cancer only affects males^1,3
• 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

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 examination^2,3
  • 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

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

Local support groups

Contacting a support group may help you during diagnosis and treatment and afterwards.

Infographics

Click here for information on the incidence of prostate cancer in Europe.