Prostate cancer will see an estimated 330,000 new cases in 2026, making up nearly one-third of invasive male cancers. With over 330,000 new cases estimated for 2026, prostate cancer accounts for almost one-third of all invasive cancers in men. It is the fifth leading cause of male cancer-related deaths worldwide. Because prostate cancer is slow-growing, and symptoms may not occur for years after it develops, you might think that everyone who has a prostate (a walnut-sized gland that sits below the bladder) should get a blood test for prostate specific antigen, or PSA, which can detect it.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the U.S. and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths. And African-American men are more likely to get prostate cancer and twice as likely to die from the disease than men of other races. The prostate is part of the male reproductive system that makes semen. The walnut-sized gland is beneath the bladder and surrounds the upper part of the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates certain tests and treatments for prostate cancer to ensure their safety and effectiveness.
Decoding the PSA Test and Its High False-Positive Rate
Measuring blood levels of prostate-specific antigen—a protein produced by the prostate that normally decreases semen viscosity—remains a cornerstone of early detection. A screening test is designed to identify cancer in an individual who does not yet have signs or symptoms — before you or your doctor even suspect it’s there. Ideal screening tests detect cancers in their early stages, when an intervention (such as removing a tumor with surgery) can prevent it from spreading and treat it in its entirety.
One of the most common screening tests for prostate cancer involves measuring blood levels of PSA, which is a protein produced by the prostate. PSA normally decreases the viscosity of semen. An elevated PSA level can be caused by cancer, and the higher the PSA, the more likely that cancer is present — although non-cancer-related triggers, such as infections, also can drive PSA levels higher. Traditionally, a PSA level above 4.0 ng/ml has been considered abnormal and could result in further evaluation.
Clearing Up Dangerous Prostate Cancer Misconceptions
Prostate cancer myths are keeping men out of screening rooms at exactly the wrong time. Doctors say the beliefs sound reasonable, whether it is “I feel fine,” “I’m too young” or a high test result means the worst.
Each one carries a real cost when it delays a diagnosis that early detection could catch. The disease is one of the most common cancers in American men, and it rarely announces itself. That is why urologists keep pushing back against the same misconceptions, from age cutoffs to assumptions about treatment side effects. Here is what they want patients to hear.
Prostate cancer typically produces no symptoms in its early, most treatable stage. Men who wait for pain, urinary trouble or blood in the urine before considering screening are often waiting too long.
“These kinds of myths are very concerning because somebody may not have any of those symptoms, and then they think, ‘Oh, I’m fine. I don’t need to worry about prostate cancer. I don’t have bone pain. I don’t have blood in the urine.’ But that’s not the case at all. The whole case is that prostate cancer doesn’t have any symptoms at an early stage, and that’s why screening is so important,”
Dr. Stacy Loeb, a professor of medicine and population health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and a urologic oncologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, told Urology Times
Prostate cancer becomes more common with age.
NAVIGATING SCREENING GUIDELINES AND TREATMENT HARMS
Prostate cancer is frequently a very slow-growing disease, often causing no symptoms until it is in an advanced stage. At that point, symptoms may include difficulty starting urination, weak or interrupted flow of urine, and frequent urination, especially at night. Other symptoms of advanced prostate cancer may include back or other bone pain, weakness, and unintended weight loss. But these symptoms can have many other causes than prostate cancer, such as a harmless (benign) enlarged prostate. If you have any concerns about any of these symptoms, contact your health care professional. Most patients with prostate cancer die of other causes, and many never know they have the disease. But once prostate cancer begins to grow quickly or spreads outside the prostate, it is dangerous.
For guidance regarding health concerns, individuals should consult qualified healthcare professionals for personalized advice.
