Prostate Cancer Education & Guidance

Prostate cancer affects men across all backgrounds, yet outcomes are not experienced equally. National data shows that Black men face significantly higher incidence and mortality rates compared to other men in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society’s 2025 report, Black men are nearly 70% more likely than White men to develop prostate cancer in their lifetime and are approximately twice as likely to die from the disease. Understanding these disparities is essential to advancing early detection, informed decision-making, and more equitable outcomes.

This Resource Center is designed to provide clear, evidence-based information to help men and their families navigate prostate cancer with greater understanding and preparation. Whether you are learning about screening, interpreting test results, weighing treatment options, or supporting someone you love, the sections below offer structured guidance grounded in trusted data.

Knowledge strengthens confidence. Preparation supports better conversations. And informed decisions improve outcomes.

What is a prostate?

The prostate is a small gland that helps make semen. It's found just below the bladder. The prostate is part of the male reproductive system.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is a growth of cells that starts in the prostate. Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. Prostate cancer is usually found early, and it often grows slowly. Most people with prostate cancer are cured.

People diagnosed with early prostate cancer often have many treatment options to consider. It can feel overwhelming to learn about all the options and make a choice. Treatments may include surgery, radiation therapy or carefully watching the prostate cancer to see if it grows.

 

What Is PSA Screening?

PSA screening involves a simple blood test that measures the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the bloodstream. PSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland. Elevated levels may indicate prostate abnormalities, including prostate cancer — but they can also reflect non-cancerous conditions such as inflammation or enlargement.

 

 

 

 

 

Early Detection and Screening Guidelines

According to "Prostate Health Education Network", Prostate cancer early detection screening aims to reduce deaths from prostate cancer by detecting cancer that may be life threatening at an early stage where it may be treated and managed effectively.

 

When Should Men Start PSA Screening?

What Does a PSA Test Measure?

Understanding PSA Test Results

Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer

 

 Screening 

If you are screened for prostate cancer and your initial blood PSA level is higher than normal, it doesn’t always mean that you have prostate cancer. Many men with higher-than-normal PSA levels do not have cancer. Still, further testing will be needed to help find out what is going on. Your doctor may advise one of these options:

• Waiting a while and having a second PSA test
• Getting another type of test to get a better idea of if you might have cancer (and therefore should get a prostate biopsy)
• Getting a prostate biopsy to find out if you have cancer

It’s important to discuss your options, including their possible pros and cons, with your doctor to help you choose one you are comfortable with. Factors that might affect which option is best for you include:

• Your age and overall health
• The likelihood that you have prostate cancer (based on tests done so far)
• Your own comfort level with waiting or getting further tests

If your initial PSA test was ordered by your primary care provider, you may be referred to a urologist (a doctor who treats diseases of the genital and urinary tract, including prostate cancer) for this discussion or for further testing.

Repeating the PSA test

A man’s blood PSA level can vary over time (for a number of reasons), so some doctors recommend repeating the test after a month or so if the initial PSA result is abnormal. This is most likely to be a reasonable option if the PSA level is on the lower end of the borderline range (typically 4 to 7 ng/mL). For higher PSA levels, doctors are more likely to recommend getting other tests, or going straight to a prostate biopsy.

Getting other tests

If the initial PSA result is abnormal, another option might be to get another type of test (or tests) to help you and your doctor get a better idea if you might have prostate cancer (and therefore need a biopsy). Some of the tests that might be done include:

• A digital rectal exam (DRE), if it hasn’t been done already
• One or more of the other special types of PSA tests discussed above, such as the Prostate Health Index (PHI), 4Kscore test, IsoPSA, or percent-free PSA; or other lab tests, such as the ExoDx Prostate(IntelliScore) or SelectMDx 
• An imaging test of the prostate gland, such as MRI (especially multiparametric MRI) or transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) (discussed in Tests to Diagnose and Stage Prostate Cancer)

If the initial abnormal test was a DRE, the next step is typically to get a PSA blood test (and possibly other tests, such as a TRUS).

If the results of a PSA blood test, DRE, or other tests suggest that you might have prostate cancer, you will most likely need a prostate biopsy.

A biopsy is a procedure in which small samples of the prostate are removed and looked at with a microscope. A core needle biopsy is the main method used to diagnose prostate cancer. It is usually done by a urologist.

During the biopsy, the doctor usually looks at the prostate with an imaging test, such as transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) or MRI, or a ‘fusion’ of the two (all discussed below). The doctor quickly inserts a thin, hollow needle into the prostate. This is done either through the wall of the rectum (a transrectal biopsy) or through the skin between the scrotum and anus (a transperineal biopsy). When the needle is pulled out it removes a small cylinder (core) of prostate tissue. This is repeated several times. Most often the doctor will take about 12 core samples from different parts of the prostate.

 What’s New in Prostate Cancer Research?)

• Determining the stage of prostate cancer

  The stage of a prostate cancer describes how much cancer is in the body. It’s one of the factors used to help determine how best to treat the cancer. Doctors also use a cancer’s stage when talking about survival statistics.

• AJCC Stage

  Stage grouping

  Stage description

  I  cT1, N0, M0

      Grade Group 1 (Gleason score 6 or less)

      PSA less than 10

  The doctor can’t feel the tumor or see it with an imaging test such as transrectal ultrasound. (It was either found during a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or was diagnosed by needle biopsy done for a high PSA [cT1].) The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Grade Group is 1, and the PSA level is less than 10.

  OR

  cT2a, N0, M0

  Grade Group 1 (Gleason score 6 or less)  

  PSA less than 10

  The tumor can be felt by digital rectal exam or seen with imaging, such as transrectal ultrasound, and is in one half or less of only one side (left or right) of the prostate [cT2a]. The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Grade Group is 1, and the PSA level is less than 10.

  OR

  pT2, N0, M0

  Grade Group 1 (Gleason score 6 or less)

  PSA less than 10

  The prostate has been removed with surgery, and the tumor was still only in the prostate [pT2]. The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Grade Group is 1, and the PSA level is less than 10.

   

  II    A cT1, N0, M0

  Grade Group 1 (Gleason score 6 or less)

  PSA at least 10 but less than 20

  The doctor can’t feel the tumor or see it with imaging such as transrectal ultrasound. (It was either found during a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or was diagnosed by needle biopsy done for a high PSA level [cT1].) The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Grade Group is 1. The PSA level is at least 10 but less than 20.

  OR

  cT2a or pT2, N0, M0

  Grade Group 1 (Gleason score 6 or less)

  PSA at least 10 but less than 20

  The tumor can be felt by digital rectal exam or seen with imaging such as transrectal ultrasound and is in one half or less of only one side (left or right) of the prostate [cT2a]. OR the prostate has been removed with surgery, and the tumor was still only in the prostate [pT2]. The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Grade Group is 1. The PSA level is at least 10 but less than 20.

  OR

  cT2b or cT2c, N0, M0

  Grade Group 1 (Gleason score 6 or less)

  PSA less than 20

  The tumor can be felt by digital rectal exam or seen with imaging such as transrectal ultrasound. It is in more than half of one side of the prostate [cT2b] or it is in both sides of the prostate [cT2c]. The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Grade Group is 1. The PSA level is less than 20.

  IIB  T1 or T2, N0, M0

  Grade Group 2 (Gleason score 3+4=7)

  PSA less than 20

  The cancer has not yet spread outside the prostate. It might (or might not) be felt by digital rectal exam or seen with imaging such as transrectal ultrasound [T1 or T2]. The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Grade Group is 2. The PSA level is less than 20.

   

  IIC  T1 or T2, N0, M0

  Grade Group 3 or 4 (Gleason score 4+3=7 or 8)

  PSA less than 20

  The cancer has not yet spread outside the prostate. It might (or might not) be felt by digital rectal exam or seen with imaging such as transrectal ultrasound [T1 or T2]. The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Grade Group is 3 or 4. The PSA level is less than 20.

   

  IIIA T1 or T2, N0, M0

  Grade Group 1 to 4 (Gleason score 8 or less)

  PSA at least 20

  The cancer has not yet spread outside the prostate. It might (or might not) be felt by digital rectal exam or seen with imaging such as transrectal ultrasound [T1 or T2]. The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Grade Group is 1 to 4. The PSA level is at least 20.

  IIIB  T3 or T4, N0, M0

  Grade Group 1 to 4 (Gleason score 8 or less)

  Any PSA

  The cancer has grown outside the prostate and might have spread to the seminal vesicles [T3], or it has spread into other tissues next to the prostate, such as the urethral sphincter (muscle that helps control urination), rectum, bladder, and/or the wall of the pelvis [T4]. It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Grade Group is 1 to 4, and the PSA can be any value.

   

  IIIC

  Any T, N0, M0

  Grade Group 5 (Gleason score 9 or 10)

  Any PSA

  The cancer might or might not be growing outside the prostate and into nearby tissues [any T]. It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Grade Group is 5. The PSA can be any value.

• IVA

  Any T, N1, M0

  Any Grade Group

  Any PSA

  The tumor might or might not be growing into tissues near the prostate [any T]. The cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes [N1] but has not spread elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Grade Group can be any value, and the PSA can be any value.

   

  IVB

  Any T, any N, M1

  Any Grade Group

  Any PSA

  The cancer might or might not be growing into tissues near the prostate [any T] and might or might not have spread to nearby lymph nodes [any N]. It has spread to other parts of the body, such as distant lymph nodes, bones, or other organs [M1]. The Grade Group can be any value, and the PSA can be any value.(Sources American Cancer Society )

• SURVIVAL STATISTIC

Prostate cancer grade (Gleason score or Grade Group)

According to American Cancer Association, If prostate cancer is found on a biopsy, it will be assigned a grade. The grade of the cancer is based on how abnormal the cancer looks under the microscope. Higher-grade cancers look more abnormal, and they’re more likely to grow and spread quickly. There are 2 main ways to describe the grade of a prostate cancer.

Gleason score

The Gleason system, which has been in use for many years, assigns grades using the numbers 1 through 5, based on how much the cancer looks like normal prostate tissue.

• A grade of 1 is assigned if the cancer looks a lot like normal prostate tissue.
• A grade of 5 is assigned if the cancer looks very abnormal.
• Grades 2 through 4 have features in between these extremes.

Almost all prostate cancers are given a grade 3 or higher; grades 1 and 2 are not often used.

Since prostate cancers often have areas with different grades, a grade is assigned to the 2 areas that make up most of the cancer. These grades are then added to yield the Gleason score (also called the Gleason sum).

The first number assigned is the grade that is most common in the tumor. For example, if the Gleason score is written as 3+4=7, it means most of the tumor is grade 3 and less is grade 4, and they are added for a Gleason score of 7.

Although most often the Gleason score is based on the 2 areas that make up most of the cancer, there are some exceptions. For example, when a biopsy sample has either a lot of high-grade cancer or there are 3 grades, including high-grade cancer, the way the Gleason score is determined is modified to reflect the aggressive (fast-growing) nature of the cancer.

In theory, the Gleason score can be between 2 and 10, but scores below 6 are not often used.

Based on the Gleason score, prostate cancers are often divided into 3 groups:

• Cancers with a Gleason score of 6 or less may be called well-differentiated or low-grade. These cancers tend to grow slowly and are unlikely to spread. (In fact, some doctors have questioned whether these should even be called cancers.)
• Cancers with a Gleason score of 7 may be called moderately differentiated or intermediate-grade.
• Cancers with Gleason scores of 8 to 10 may be called poorly differentiated or high-grade.

Grade Groups

In recent years, doctors have come to realize that the Gleason score might not always be the best way to describe the grade of the cancer, for a couple of reasons:

• The outcomes for men with prostate cancer can be divided into more than just the 3 groups mentioned above. For example, men with a Gleason score of 3+4=7 cancer tend to do better than those with a 4+3=7 cancer. And men with a Gleason score of 8 cancer tend to do better than those with a Gleason score of 9 or 10.
• The scale of the Gleason score can be misleading for men with prostate cancer. For example, a man with a Gleason score of 6 cancer might assume that his cancer is in the middle of the range of grades (which in theory go from 2 to 10), even though grade 6 cancers are actually the lowest grade seen in practice. This might lead a man to think his cancer is more likely to grow and spread quickly, when grade 6 cancers typically do not spread or cause death. This misunderstanding could affect his decisions about treatment.

Because of this, doctors have developed Grade Groups, ranging from 1 (most likely to grow and spread slowly) to 5 (most likely to grow and spread quickly):

• Grade Group 1 = Gleason 6 (or less)
• Grade Group 2 = Gleason 3+4=7
• Grade Group 3 = Gleason 4+3=7
• Grade Group 4 = Gleason 8
• Grade Group 5 = Gleason 9-10

The Grade Groups will likely replace the Gleason score over time, but currently you might see either one (or both) on a biopsy pathology report. (Sources, American Cancer Association ).

Other information in a pathology report if cancer is found

Along with the grade of the cancer (if it is present), the pathology report often contains other information about the cancer, such as:

• The number of biopsy core samples that contain cancer (for example, “7 out of 12”)
• The percentage of cancer in each of the cores
• Whether the cancer is on one side (left or right) of the prostate or on both sides (bilateral)

Suspicious, atypical, or other results

Sometimes a biopsy sample might not look like prostate cancer, but it doesn’t look quite normal, either.

Prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN): In PIN, there are changes in how the prostate cells look, but the abnormal cells don’t look like they’ve grown into other parts of the prostate (like cancer cells would). PIN is often divided into 2 groups:

• Low-grade PIN: The patterns of prostate cells appear almost normal.
• High-grade PIN: The patterns of cells look more abnormal.

Many men begin to develop low-grade PIN at an early age, but low-grade PIN is not thought to be related to prostate cancer risk. If low-grade PIN is reported on a prostate biopsy, your follow-up is usually the same as if nothing abnormal was seen.

If high-grade PIN is found on a biopsy, you might have a higher chance of developing prostate cancer over time. This is why doctors often watch men with high-grade PIN carefully and may advise another prostate biopsy (or lab tests to help determine the risk of having cancer, such as the Prostate Health Index [PHI], 4Kscore test, PCA3 tests [such as Progensa], or ConfirmMDx). This is especially true if high-grade PIN is found in different parts of the prostate (known as multifocal high-grade PIN), or if the original biopsy didn’t take samples from all parts of the prostate.

Intraductal carcinoma: In intraductal carcinoma, prostate cancer (carcinoma) cells can be seen growing into pre-existing prostate ducts. This condition is often seen next to high-grade (fast-growing) prostate cancer.

If intraductal carcinoma is found on a prostate biopsy, there’s a strong chance that there is high-grade prostate cancer near where the biopsy was taken from. Because of this, doctors often recommend treating the prostate with surgery or radiation therapy.

Atypical small acinar proliferation (ASAP): This might also be called glandular atypia or atypical glandular proliferation. It might also just be reported as “suspicious for cancer.” All of these terms mean that there are cells in the biopsy sample that look like they might be cancer, but there are too few of them to be sure. If one of these terms is used, there’s a high chance that there is also cancer in the prostate, which is why many doctors recommend getting another biopsy within a few months.

Proliferative inflammatory atrophy (PIA): In PIA, the prostate cells look smaller than normal, and there are signs of inflammation in the area. PIA is not cancer, and it’s not yet clear if it leads to high-grade PIN or to prostate cancer directly.

Testing prostate cancer cells for gene or protein changes

If you have prostate cancer, the cancer cells from your biopsy might be tested for certain gene or protein changes that could affect your treatment options. For example:

If your cancer hasn’t spread, your doctor might recommend a molecular or genomic test of your cancer cells to help determine how quickly the cancer is likely to grow and spread. Tests such as Decipher, Oncotype DX Prostate, Prolaris, and Promark can help you and your doctor decide if active surveillance might be right for you, or if treatment such as surgery or radiation therapy might be a better option. For more on these tests, see Risk Groups and Lab Tests to Help Determine Risk for Localized Prostate Cancer.

If your cancer has spread, tests might be done to look for specific gene or protein changes in the cancer cells, which can show if certain targeted therapy drugs are likely to be helpful in treating the cancer. For example, the cancer cells might be tested for changes (mutations) in the BRCA genes or in other genes involved in repairing damaged DNA. If the cells have changes in one of these genes, targeted drugs called PARP inhibitors might be helpful for you.

 

Imaging tests for prostate cancer

Imaging tests use x-rays, magnetic fields, sound waves, or radioactive substances to create pictures of the inside of your body. One or more imaging tests might be used to:

• Look for cancer in the prostate.
• Help the doctor see the prostate during certain procedures (such as a prostate biopsy or certain types of prostate cancer treatment).
• Look for spread of prostate cancer to other parts of the body.

Which tests you might need will depend on the situation. For example, a prostate biopsy is typically done with transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and/or MRI to help guide the biopsy. If you are found to have prostate cancer, you might need imaging tests of other parts of your body to look for possible cancer spread. (Men with a normal digital rectal exam (DRE), a low blood PSA level, and a low Gleason score may not need any other tests because the chance that the cancer has spread is so low.)

The imaging tests used most often to look for prostate cancer include:

• Lymph node biopsy as a separate procedure

  A lymph node biopsy is rarely done as a separate procedure. It’s sometimes used when a radical prostatectomy isn’t planned (such as for some men who choose treatment with radiation therapy), but when it’s still important to know if the lymph nodes contain cancer.

  Most often, this is done as a needle biopsy. To do this, the doctor uses an imaging test (such as an MRI or CT scan) to guide a long, hollow needle through the skin in the lower abdomen and into an enlarged lymph node. The skin is numbed with local anesthesia before the needle is inserted. The sample removed by the needle is then sent to the lab and looked at for cancer cells.

  • Lymph node biopsy as a separate procedure

    A lymph node biopsy is rarely done as a separate procedure. It’s sometimes used when a radical prostatectomy isn’t planned (such as for some men who choose treatment with radiation therapy), but when it’s still important to know if the lymph nodes contain cancer.

    Most often, this is done as a needle biopsy. To do this, the doctor uses an imaging test (such as an MRI or CT scan) to guide a long, hollow needle through the skin in the lower abdomen and into an enlarged lymph node. The skin is numbed with local anesthesia before the needle is inserted. The sample removed by the needle is then sent to the lab and looked at for cancer cells.

• Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)

  For this test, a small probe about the width of a finger is lubricated and placed in your rectum. The probe gives off sound waves that enter the prostate and create echoes. The probe picks up the echoes, and a computer turns them into a black-and-white image of the prostate.

  The test often takes less than 10 minutes and is usually done in a doctor’s office or outpatient clinic. You will feel some pressure when the probe is inserted, but it is usually not painful. The area may be numbed before the procedure.

  TRUS might be used in different situations:

  • It is sometimes used to look for suspicious areas in the prostate in men who have an abnormal DRE or PSA test result (although it can miss some cancers).
  • It can be used during a prostate biopsy to guide the needles into the correct areas of the prostate.
  • It can be used to measure the size of the prostate, which can help determine the PSA density (described in Screening Tests for Prostate Cancer).
  • It can be used as a guide during some forms of treatment, such as brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy) or cryotherapy.

  Newer forms of TRUS, such as color Doppler ultrasound and micro-ultrasound, might be even more helpful in some situations. (See What’s New in Prostate Cancer Research?)

  Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

  MRI scans create detailed images of soft tissues in the body using radio waves and strong magnets. MRIs can give doctors a very clear picture of the prostate and nearby areas. A contrast material called gadolinium might be injected into a vein before the scan to better see details.

  MRI might be used in different situations:

  • It can be used to help determine if a man with an abnormal screening test or with symptoms that might be from prostate cancer should get a prostate biopsy. (The type of MRI often used for this, known as multiparametric MRI, is described below.)
  • If a prostate biopsy is planned, an MRI might be done to help locate and target areas of the prostate that are most likely to contain cancer. This is often done as an MRI/ultrasound fusion biopsy, which is described below.
  • MRI can be used during a prostate biopsy to help guide the needles into the prostate.
  • If prostate cancer has been found, MRI can be done to help determine the extent (stage) of the cancer. MRI scans can show if the cancer has spread outside the prostate into the seminal vesicles or other nearby structures. This can be very important in determining your treatment options. But MRI scans aren’t usually needed for newly diagnosed prostate cancers that are likely to be confined to the prostate based on other factors.

  To improve the accuracy of the MRI, you might have a probe, called an endorectal coil, placed inside your rectum for the scan. This can be uncomfortable for some men. If needed, you can be given medicine to make you feel sleepy (sedation).

  Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI): This MRI technique can be used to help better define possible areas of cancer in the prostate, as well as to get an idea of how quickly a cancer might grow. It can also help show if the cancer has grown outside the prostate or spread to other parts of the body.

  For this test, a standard MRI is done to look at the anatomy of the prostate, and then at least one other type of MRI (such as diffusion weighted imaging [DWI], dynamic contrast enhanced [DCE] MRI, or MR spectroscopy) is done to look at other parameters of the prostate tissue. The results of the different scans are then compared to help find abnormal areas.

  When mpMRI is done to help determine if a man might have prostate cancer, the results are typically reported using the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System, or PI-RADS. In this system, abnormal areas in the prostate are assigned a category on a scale ranging from PI-RADS 1 (very unlikely to be a clinically significant cancer) to PI-RADS 5 (very likely to be a clinically significant cancer).

  MRI/ultrasound fusion-guided prostate biopsy: In this approach, a man gets an MRI a few days or weeks before the biopsy to look for abnormal areas in the prostate. During the biopsy itself, TRUS is used to view to prostate, and a special computer program is used to fuse the MRI and TRUS images on a computer screen. This can help ensure the doctor gets biopsy samples from any suspicious areas seen on the images.

  Bone scan

  If prostate cancer spreads to distant parts of the body, it often goes to the bones first. A bone scan can help show if cancer has reached the bones.

  For this test, you are injected with a small amount of low-level radioactive material, which settles in damaged areas of bone throughout the body. A special camera detects the radioactivity and creates a picture of your skeleton.

  A bone scan might suggest cancer in the bone, although other non-cancerous conditions such as arthritis can sometimes look similar on the scan. To be sure, other tests, such as plain x-rays, CT or MRI scans, or even a bone biopsy, might be needed.

  Positron emission tomography (PET) scan

  A PET scan is similar to a bone scan, in that a slightly radioactive substance (known as a tracer) is injected into the blood, which can then be detected with a special camera. But PET scans use different tracers that collect mainly in cancer cells.

  The most common tracer for standard PET scans is FDG, which is a type of sugar. Unfortunately, this type of PET scan isn’t very useful in finding prostate cancer cells in the body. However, newer types of tracers can often be helpful in looking for prostate cancer.

  PET scans using newer tracers: Newer tracers that have been found to be better at detecting prostate cancer cells include:

  • Fluciclovine F18
  • Sodium fluoride F18
  • Choline C11

  PSMA PET scans: Other newer tracers attach to prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a protein that is often found in large amounts on prostate cancer cells. These tracers include:

  • Ga 68 PSMA-11 (also known as Ga 68 gozetotide, Locametz, Illuccix, and Gozellix)
  • 18F-DCFPyl (also known as piflufolastat F 18 or Pylarify)
  • 18F-rhPSMA-7.3 (also known as flotufolastat F 18 or Posluma)

  These newer types of PET scans are most often used if it’s not clear if (or exactly where) prostate cancer has spread. For example, one of these tests might be done if the results of a bone scan aren’t clear, or if a man has a rising PSA level after treatment but it’s not clear where the cancer is in the body. PSMA PET scans can also be used to help determine if the cancer can be treated with a radiopharmaceutical that targets PSMA.

  The pictures from a PET scan aren’t as detailed as MRI or CT scan images, but they can often show areas of cancer anywhere in the body. Some machines can do a PET scan and either an MRI (PET-MRI) or a CT scan (PET-CT) at the same time, which can give more detail about areas that show up on the PET scan.

  Doctors are still learning about the best ways to use these newer types of PET scans, and some of them might not be available yet in all imaging centers.

  Computed tomography (CT) scan

  A CT scan uses x-rays to make detailed, cross-sectional images of your body. This test isn’t often needed for newly diagnosed prostate cancer if the cancer is likely to be confined to the prostate based on other findings (DRE result, PSA level, and Gleason score). Still, it can sometimes help tell if prostate cancer has spread into nearby lymph nodes. If your prostate cancer has come back after treatment, a CT scan can often tell if it is growing into other organs or structures in your pelvis.

  CT scans are not as useful as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for looking at the prostate gland itself.

  Lymph node biopsy

  In a lymph node biopsy, also known as lymph node dissection or lymphadenectomy, one or more lymph nodes are removed to see if they have cancer cells. This isn’t done very often for prostate cancer, but it might be used to find out if the cancer has spread from the prostate to nearby lymph nodes.

  Lymph node removal during surgery to treat prostate cancer

  If surgery is being done to treat prostate cancer and there is more than a very small chance that the cancer might have spread (based on factors such as a high PSA blood level or a high Gleason score from the biopsy), the surgeon may remove lymph nodes in the pelvis during the operation to remove the prostate (radical prostatectomy). See 

   

• • tments

 

For survivors, family & friends