Understanding the prostate and spotting signs of cancer

Cancer of the prostate gland can develop slowly or it may develop very quickly. The majority of prostate cancers are initially slow-growing and may never cause the man any problems or symptoms during the course of his lifetime.

In some men, however, the cancer can be more aggressive, and some men are deemed more high risk.

Epidemiology

In the UK prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. In 2011, more than 40,000 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK, with 10,793 deaths from the disease. More than 250,000 men are currently living with the condition. In England, 81.4 per cent of adult prostate cancer patients survived their cancer for five years or more between 2005 and 2009.¹