Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer develops in the prostate, a small walnut-shaped gland located below the bladder and in front of the rectum in men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB). This tiny gland secretes fluid that mixes with semen, keeping sperm healthy for conception and pregnancy.

Prostate cancer is a serious disease. Fortunately, most people with prostate cancer get diagnosed before it spreads beyond their prostate gland. Treatment at this stage often eliminates the cancer.

What are the types of prostate cancer?

If you’re diagnosed with prostate cancer, it’s most likely an adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinomas start in the cells of glands — like your prostate — that secrete fluid. Rarely, prostate cancer forms from other types of cells.

Less common types of prostate cancers include:

• Small cell carcinomas.
• Transitional cell carcinomas.
• Neuroendocrine tumors.
• Sarcomas.

How common is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is common, second only to skin cancer as the most common cancer affecting men and people AMAB. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for every 100 people with prostates, 13 will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives. Most will live normal lives and eventually die from causes unrelated to prostate cancer. Some won’t need treatment.

Still, approximately 34,000 people in the United States die from prostate cancer each year.