Information About Prostate Cancer

The fear of having prostate cancer can be devastating to men. However, it is most successfully treated when found early. Consider these statistics from the American Cancer Society (ACS):

• Nearly 86 percent of all prostate cancers are discovered while they are either localized (confined to the prostate) or regional (nearby). The five-year survival rate for men diagnosed with prostate tumors discovered at these stages is 100 percent.
  
  
• In the past 20 years, the five-year survival rate for all stages combined has increased from 67 percent to 97 percent.

Early prostate cancer may not present any symptoms and can only be found with regular prostate examinations by your physician. Do not let fear and anxiety keep you from having the tests you need. These tests can often detect, or help rule out, prostate cancer.

Follow-up visits with your physician are extremely important if you have had an unusual DRE (digital rectal examination), or if your PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level is high. Your physician may order additional tests or suggest repeating the PSA tests.