Mohawk Mission

How common is prostate cancer?

Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. The American Cancer Society’s estimates for prostate cancer in the United States for 2022 are:

• About 268,490 new cases of prostate cancer

• About 34,500 deaths from prostate cancer

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Risk of prostate cancer

• 1 in 8 men will develop prostate cancer

• 1 in 7 black men will develop prostate cancer

• 1 in 5 veterans will develop prostate cancer

• If caught early you have >99% five year survival

• If caught late you have 30% five year survival

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Deaths from prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer. About 1 man in 41 will die of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer can be a serious disease, but most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it. In fact, more than 3.1 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today.

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What is the PSA test?

Prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, is a protein produced by normal, as well as malignant, cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test measures the level of PSA in a man’s blood. For this test, a blood sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis. The results are usually reported as nanograms of PSA per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood. The blood level of PSA is often elevated in men with prostate cancer. 

 

What is a normal PSA test result? 

There is no specific normal or abnormal level of PSA in the blood, and levels may vary over time in the same man. Most doctors consider PSA levels of 4.0 ng/mL and lower as normal. Therefore, if a man has a PSA level above 4.0 ng/mL, doctors often recommend a prostate biopsy to determine whether prostate cancer is present.  

 

When should I start getting my PSA checked?

I recommend you start being checked in your forties.  If you have a family history of prostate cancer, are a black man or a veteran then make sure get started with PSA's at age 40. We are starting to see some men in their thirties developing prostate cancer. 

 

Where can I find more information?

Please go to our Resources page and you will find links to several prostate cancer sites.