Prostate cancer statistics

In this article:

• What is prostate cancer?
• Survival rates
• How common is prostate cancer?
• Cost of care
• Advancements in screening and diagnosis
• FAQs

In this article

• What is prostate cancer?
• Survival rates
• How common is prostate cancer?
• Cost of care
• Advancements in screening and diagnosis
• FAQs

Prostate cancer is common, especially as men get older, but a diagnosis can look very different from one person to the next. Many cases are found before the cancer has spread, when survival rates are high. Advanced prostate cancer, however, can be much more serious. These prostate cancer statistics show how common the disease is, who is most affected, and how advances in screening and diagnosis are shaping outcomes.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer develops when cells in the prostate grow abnormally and uncontrollably. The prostate is a small gland located below the bladder that produces some of the fluid in semen. Some prostate cancers grow slowly, while others can be more aggressive and spread to other parts of the body. Prostate cancer may not cause symptoms in its early stages. When symptoms do occur, they can include difficulty urinating, frequent urination, or pain in the hips, pelvis, or lower back.

How is prostate cancer diagnosed?

Prostate cancer screening may include a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal exam. If the results suggest prostate cancer, healthcare providers may use additional tests, such as an MRI, followed by a biopsy to confirm a diagnosis.

“It usually starts with a PSA test and a physical exam, followed by additional evaluation if something looks abnormal,” says Dr. Arthur Burnett II, MD, professor of urology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Increasingly, we use MRI before biopsy to better target suspicious areas.”

Healthcare providers also consider a person’s overall risk. “I start by looking at the whole patient, not just the PSA,” says Rajesh Patel, MD, president of Associated Urological Specialists. “We consider age, family history, overall health, PSA trends, and, when appropriate, imaging and additional testing.”

Survival rates and the power of early detection

Prostate cancer has a high overall survival rate, but outcomes vary depending on how far the cancer has spread when it is diagnosed. According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rate for prostate cancer is 98% overall.

How far the cancer has spread when the diagnosis is made can change that rate significantly, though. When prostate cancer is localized, meaning it has not spread beyond the prostate, the five-year relative survival rate is over 99%. The rate is also over 99% for regional prostate cancer that has spread to nearby structures or lymph nodes.

For distant prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, such as the bones, liver, or lungs, the five-year relative survival rate drops to 38%. This difference highlights why detecting prostate cancer before it spreads can be important.

How common is prostate cancer?

• Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer type in men in the United States. (CDC, 2025)
• About 1 in 8 men will have prostate cancer in their lifetime. (American Cancer Society, 2026)
• Nearly 1 in 3 new cancer diagnoses among U.S. men is prostate cancer. (CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 2026)

Prostate cancer statistics worldwide

• The number of prostate cancer cases worldwide is projected to reach about 2.4 million by 2040. (European Urology, 2025)
• Prostate cancer ranked as the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and the second most common among men in 2022. (World Cancer Research Fund, 2024)
• About 1.47 million new prostate cancer cases and 397,000 deaths were recorded worldwide in 2022. (World Cancer Research Fund, 2024)

Prostate cancer statistics in America

According to the American Cancer Society’s 2026 Cancer Facts & Figures:

• An estimated 333,830 new prostate cancer cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2026.
• An estimated 36,320 men in the U.S. will die from prostate cancer in 2026.
• More than 3.5 million men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer are living in the U.S. today.

Prostate cancer statistics by age

The estimated probability of developing prostate cancer during different age intervals is:

• Birth–49 years old: 1 in 480
• Ages 50–64: 1 in 26
• Ages 65–84: 1 in 9
• Ages 85 and older: 1 in 30

(American Cancer Society, 2026)

In 2022, 5% of all U.S. prostate cancer cases occurred in men ages 45–54, 52% occurred in men between 55 and 69 years old, and 43% occurred in men 70 or older. (CDC.gov, 2025)

Prostate cancer statistics by race and ethnicity

• The lifetime probability of developing prostate cancer for various races and ethnic groups is as follows:
  • Black men: 16.9%
  • White men: 12.6%
  • Hispanic men: 10.4%
  • Asian American and Pacific Islander men: 8.8%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native individuals: 6.1%

(American Cancer Society, 2025)

• The prostate cancer mortality rates (per 100,000 men) for various races are as follows:
  • Black men: 36.9
  • Asian American and Pacific Islander men: 8.8
  • White men: 18.4
  • Hispanic men: 15.4
  • American Indian and Alaska Native individuals: 20.6

(American Cancer Society, 2025)

Prostate cancer statistics by family history and genetic markers

According to the National Cancer Institute, up to 60% of prostate cancer cases come from inherited risk factors. Here’s the relative risk for various family histories:

• Brother(s) diagnosed at any age: 3.14 times the risk
• Father diagnosed at any age: 2.35 times the risk
• One first-degree family member diagnosed at any age: 2.48 times the risk
• One first-degree family member diagnosed under age 65: 2.87 times the risk
• One first-degree family member diagnosed at age 65 or older: 1.92 times the risk
• One second-degree family member diagnosed at any age: 2.52 times the risk
• Two or more first-degree family members diagnosed at any age: 4.39 times the risk

The cost of care: Financial statistics of treatment

When you add up office visits, medications, surgical procedures, potential hospitalization costs, and other expenses, prostate cancer treatment costs can vary. What you pay depends largely on your insurance coverage, the stage and severity of your case, and which treatment options the healthcare provider deems best.

• Among privately insured men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer, predicted cumulative total costs for conservative management were $15,896 after 1 year, $33,436 after 3 years, and $48,110 after 5 years. (Cancers, 2025)

• For patients with a Medicare Part D plan, the range of annual out-of-pocket costs for two common prostate cancer drugs were estimated at $9,854–$13,061 for enzalutamide and $1,379–$13,274 for abiraterone. (Urology Practice, 2023)

• The estimated per-patient costs of various prostate cancer treatments in the U.S. are as follows:
  • Active surveillance: Up to $13,021 per patient- year
  • Brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy): $2,494 per patient year (low-dose), $3,180 per patient year (high-dose)
  • Androgen deprivation therapy: $4,822 per patient-year
  • Radical prostatectomy: $2,719 per patient year
  • External radiotherapy: $3,239 per patient-year for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and $6,544 for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).

(Pharmacoeconomics, 2026)

Advancements in screening and diagnosis

Advances in prostate cancer screening and diagnosis have changed how healthcare providers assess risk and identify cancers that may need treatment. “One of the most important tools we already have is the PSA blood test, but what’s improved is how we use it,” Dr. Burnett says. “We now pair it with better risk assessment tools like PSA density, PSA trends over time, and imaging such as multiparametric MRI, which helps us better identify clinically significant cancers while reducing unnecessary biopsies. We’re also seeing promising advances in biomarker testing that help distinguish between slow-growing disease and cancers that need treatment.”

Newer imaging and diagnostic tools can also help healthcare providers determine who may need further testing. According to Dr. Patel, “one of the biggest advances has been the use of prostate MRI. It helps us better identify areas of concern and, in many cases, avoid unnecessary biopsies. We also have additional blood- and urine-based tests that can help refine risk when a PSA is elevated. When a biopsy is needed, MRI-targeted fusion biopsy technology has improved our ability to detect clinically significant prostate cancer. These advances allow us to take a more personalized approach rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all strategy.”

Prostate cancer FAQs

What are the odds of a man getting prostate cancer?

About 1 in 8 men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime. However, individual risk varies based on factors such as age, race, ethnicity, and family history.

What percentage of prostate cancer is fatal?

The risk of dying from prostate cancer depends largely on how far the cancer has spread. The five-year relative survival rate is over 99% for localized and regional prostate cancer, compared with 38% for distant prostate cancer.

What is the 2+2 rule for prostate cancer?

The 2+2 rule helps assess prostate cancer progression on bone scans. If a first post-treatment scan shows at least two new bone lesions, progression is confirmed if a follow-up scan shows at least two additional new lesions. This helps distinguish true disease progression from a temporary bone flare caused by treatment.

Can you have a normal life after prostate cancer?

Yes, many people live for years after prostate cancer and maintain a good quality of life. However, some treatments can cause lasting side effects, including urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and bowel problems. Regular follow-up with your healthcare provider can help monitor your recovery and address treatment-related concerns.