Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the prostate gland (1). There are five different types of prostate cancer depending on which type of cell the cancer starts in: acinar adenocarcinoma, ductal adenocarcinoma, transitional cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and small cell prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer may be described as localized, locally advanced and metastatic.

Localized prostate cancer is cancer that is completely inside the prostate gland.

Locally advanced prostate cancer means that the cancer has broken through the capsule (covering) of the prostate gland. It may have spread into the tissue around the prostate, seminal vesicles, body organs nearby such as the back passage or bladder and lymph nodes close to the prostate gland.

Metastatic prostate cancer is cancer that began in the prostate and has spread to another part of the body (2).

Prostate cancer does not usually cause symptoms in the early stages. If the disease progresses and cancer grows large enough, patients may exhibit symptoms, such as needing to urinate more often during day and/or night, difficulty starting urination, needing to rush to the toilet, blood in urines or semen, erectile dysfunction (1). These symptoms may be present in patients without prostate cancer. Symptoms must be reported to specialized physicians.

In Greece, 7.036 new cases of prostate cancer were reported in 2022, according to Globocan data. Concerning mortality, 1.945 deaths from prostate cancer were reported in 2022, and 5-year prevalence was estimated at 27.358 patients (540,20/100.000) (3).

Diagnosis is performed by specialized physicians. Diagnosis of prostate cancer may require examinations, such as, digital rectal exam, PSA blood test, magnetic resonance imaging, prostate biopsy(4).

Physicians evaluate the condition of patients. Treatment decisions are made by specialized physicians.