What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer has a malignant (cancer) tumor (growth), which consists of cells of the prostate gland. Typically, the tumor grows slowly and is usually only one gland for many years. During this time, the tumor produces few or no symptoms or outward signs (abnormalities on physical examination). However, not all prostate cancers behave similarly. Some types of aggressive prostate cancer growth and spread faster than others and may result in a significant reduction in life expectancy for men to which they relate. Aggression is a measure of the Gleason score of prostate cancer (discussed in detail later in this article), calculated according to the pathologist trained in the samples under a microscope for prostate biopsy.

As cancer progresses, however, may extend beyond the prostate to surrounding tissues (local spread). In addition, cancer can also metastasize (spread even more) in all areas of the body such as bones, lungs and liver. The signs and symptoms, therefore, are more often associated with advanced prostate cancer.