Prostate Cancer

Updated: Apr. 21 2026

African American man in green long sleeve shirt is sitting on a doctor's table looking at his doctor. The doctor is African American and wearing a white lab coat, reading a file to his patient.

Prostate cancer deaths remain a serious and ongoing problem in SC, with significant racial disparities and increasing proportions of late stage diagnoses. Prostate cancer was the second leading cause of cancer death among men in SC in 2023. Read about causes, risk factors, and what you can do to get help below.

What is Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer begins when cells in the prostate gland start to grow out of control. The prostate is a part of the male reproductive system, which includes the penis, prostate, seminal vesicles, and testicles. The prostate is located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is about the size of a walnut and surrounds the urethra (the tube that empties urine from the bladder). It produces fluid that makes up a part of semen.

As a man ages, the prostate tends to increase in size:

When men are in their 20s, the normal prostate is about the size of a walnut;
By age 40 the prostate may have grown slightly larger;
By age 60, the prostate is often the size of a lemon.

Age increases the risk of prostate problems, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer. Although BPH is not prostate cancer, surgery may be needed to correct it. Men may also have other prostate changes that are not cancer.

CDC - Should I Get Tested for Prostate Cancer?

Prostate Cancer in South Carolina

Prostate Cancer in SC with green SC state with dark blue ribbon on top right

Prostate Cancer Fact Sheet (pdf)

Cause and Prevention

Since the actual cause of prostate cancer is unknown, it is currently not possible to prevent most cases of this disease. However, men can take steps to protect themselves:

Recognize the risk factors and symptoms
Get screened early to begin treatment before it spreads to other areas of the body
Eat a diet low in fat and high in fruits and vegetables

Risk Factors

A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease. The following is a list of risk factors for prostate cancer. Remember, many men develop this disease without having any of these risk factors. Likewise, men who have one or more of the risk factors may never develop this disease.

Being 50 years or older advancing age
Having a first-degree relative (a father, brother, or son) with prostate cancer
Race and ethnicity: prostate cancer develops more often in African American men and in Caribbean men of African ancestry than in men of other races
High fat diet
History of smoking

Possible Symptoms

When prostate cancer is in its earliest stages there are generally no symptoms present. However, as the cancer expands and begins to spread to other parts of the body, the following may or may not be present:

Frequent or the sudden need to urinate (pee) especially at night
Pain or burning while urinating a weak stream of urine
Difficulty urinating
Blood in the urine or semen
Painful ejaculation

Benign prostate conditions can also cause these symptoms.

Diagnosis

Diagnostic tests can determine if symptoms are caused by prostate cancer, a benign prostate condition, or other condition such as a urinary tract infection (UTI). The doctor will do a physical exam and ask about symptoms such as pain, fever, or trouble passing urine—as well as how long these problems these problems have existed and how much they are affecting you.

The most common tests used to detect prostate cancer are:

Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test, with or without a digital rectal exam (DRE)
Prostate MRI
Biopsy

Some men may be hesitant to be screened as they do not want to undergo a digital rectal exam (DRE), in which a gloved and lubricated finger is inserted into the rectum to feel for irregular areas or tumors on the prostate. This exam is no longer recommended on its own for screening, and it is less useful than the PSA blood test.

Based on symptoms, your doctor may advise:

blood tests such as the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test; and
urinalysis and urine culture

If the result of the PSA blood test or the DRE indicates a possibility of prostate cancer being present, a prostate biopsy can be used to detect (find) and diagnose prostate cancer. Your doctor may refer you to a urologist, a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases of the urinary and reproductive organs in males and the urinary organs in females. The earlier prostate cancer is found, the better the chances are that it can be treated.

Treatment

The choice of treatment depends on several factors: the individual's overall health, age, life expectancy, the grade and stage of the disease, the effects of treatment, and personal preferences. Treatments might include:

Watchful waiting
Surgery
Radiation therapy
Cyotherapy, HIFU, and other ablative treatments
Hormone therapy
Chemotherapy
Immunotherapy
Targeted drug therapy

New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials. Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment.

Treatments for prostate cancer are generally used one at a time, although in some cases they may be combined.

MUSIC Urology - Transperineal Biopsy Patient Educational Video

Where to Find Treatment

DPH's interactive map helps both providers and patients search for urology practices and doctors close by. Contact information is provided for each location.

Urology Providers in South Carolina

Survival

Survival rates for all stages of prostate cancer have improved over the years:

At least 89% of men diagnosed can expect to live at least 5 years from the time of their diagnosis
63% survive 10 years
If the cancer has not spread beyond the prostate gland the 5-year survival is 99%.