Prostate cancer begins when abnormal cells in the prostate start growing in an uncontrolled way.
Learn more about:
The prostate
The prostate is a small gland about the size of a walnut. It forms part of the male reproductive system. The prostate sits below the bladder and in front of the rectum (the end section of the large bowel).
Two glands called the seminal vesicles attach to the back of the prostate. The prostate is close to nerves, blood vessels, and muscles that help control erections and urination (the pelvic floor and urinary sphincter).
What the prostate does
The prostate produces fluid that helps to nourish and protect sperm. This fluid forms part of semen. Semen also contains sperm made in the testicles (testes) and fluid made by the seminal vesicles.
| Urethra | This is a narrow tube that runs from the bladder and through the prostate to take urine (wee or pee) out of the body. The urethra also carries semen during ejaculation. |
| Ejaculation | When an orgasm occurs, millions of sperm from the testicles move through 2 tubes near the prostate called the vas deferens. The sperm then join with the fluids produced by the prostate and seminal vesicles to make semen. The muscle around the prostate contracts and pushes the semen into the urethra and out through the penis. |
How the prostate grows
The main male sex hormone, testosterone, is made by the testicles and controls how the prostate grows. It is normal for the prostate to become larger with age. This may lead to a condition known as benign prostate hyperplasia or BPH.
How common is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australian men (except for skin cancer). About 1 in 12 men will get prostate cancer by the age of 70, and 1 in 5 will get it in their lifetime. About 25,500 men are diagnosed each year, and rates are increasing. This may be in part because the population is growing and people may be living longer.
Anyone with a prostate can get prostate cancer – men, transgender women and intersex people. For information specific to you, speak to your doctor.
For more on this, see LGBTQI+ People and Cancer.
Non-cancerous changes to the prostate
A normal prostate often grows larger as you age and is called benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). It is not usually due to cancer but BPH may press on the urethra and affect how you urinate (pee).
You may:
- notice a weak stream of urine
- go to the toilet more often, especially at night
- need to pee urgently
- have trouble starting to pee
- dribble urine after peeing
- feel that the bladder is not empty.
Talk to your doctor if you have any of these urinary symptoms – because they can also happen in advanced prostate cancer.
What causes prostate cancer?
Factors that increase the risk of developing prostate cancer include:
- getting older – especially being aged 50 and over1 (more than 90% of people diagnosed with prostate cancer are aged 55 and over)4
- family history of prostate, breast or ovarian cancer (see below)
- being of African or African-American descent.
While prostate cancer is less common if you are aged 50 and under, people aged 40 and over may have a higher than average risk of developing prostate cancer later in life if their prostate specific antigen (PSA) test results are higher than the typical range for their age.
Does prostate cancer run in families?
Having a strong family history of cancer increases the risk of developing prostate cancer.
You may have inherited a gene that increases your risk of prostate cancer if you have:
- several close relatives on the same side of the family (can be your mother’s or father’s side) with prostate, breast and/or ovarian cancer, especially if due to a fault in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes
- a brother or father diagnosed with prostate cancer before the age of 60. In this case your risk is twice that of others.
If you are worried about your family history, talk to your general practitioner (GP). They may refer you to a family cancer clinic.
For more information, see Genetics and cancer or call Cancer Council 13 11 20.
For an overview of what is recommended for prostate cancer, from diagnosis to treatment and beyond, you’ll find a short guide at Guides to Best Cancer Care – Prostate cancer.
Complementary or herbal supplements claiming to reduce PSA readings, or to prevent PSA from rising, are not recommended by Cancer Council. They may mask your true PSA, or cause you to have false results on medical pathology PSA testing.
→ READ MORE: Prostate cancer symptoms
More resources
Prof Declan Murphy, Consultant Urologist, Director – Genitourinary Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and The University of Melbourne, VIC; Alan Barlee, Consumer; Dr Patrick Bowden, Radiation Oncologist, Epworth Hospital, Richmond, VIC; Bob Carnaby, Consumer; Dr Megan Crumbaker, Medical Oncologist, St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, NSW; Henry McGregor, Health Physiotherapist, Adelaide Men’s Health Physio, SA; Jessica Medd, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Department of Urology, Concord Repatriation General Hospital and Headway Health, NSW; Dr Gary Morrison, Shine a Light (LGBTQIA+ Cancer Support Group); Caitriona Nienaber, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Graham Rees, Consumer; Kerry Santoro, Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse Consultant, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, SA; Prof Phillip Stricker, Chairman, Department of Urology, St Vincent’s Private Hospital, NSW; Dr Sylvia van Dyk, Brachytherapy Lead, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC.
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