Prostate Cancer Research Highlights

The American Cancer Society helps men with prostate cancer in every community. And we’re funding research to help find more cures and save even more lives in the future. 

Studies show that Black men are 2 times more likely to die from prostate cancer than White men are. A main cause could be disparities in the assessibility and delivery of quality care. 

Evidence keeps building that Black men are less likely to receive high-quality care for prostate cancer. When treatment is similar, prostate cancer 10-year survival is comparable or even higher among Black men.

Prostate Cancer Is #1 for 118 Countries Worldwide

Across the world, prostate cancer is second only to lung cancer as the most diagnosed cancer in men. For 66% of the world, prostate cancer is the #1 cancer in men.

Risk and Prevention Studies

Is Prostate Cancer Linked to Neighborhood Stress?

Men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer who lived in disadvantaged neighborhoods had a higher expression of stress-related genes linked with lethal prostate cancer.

"Forever Chemicals" Not Linked with Prostate Cancer in Older Men

PFAS in many consumer products show no strong link with an increased risk for prostate cancer, but these "forever chemicals" need more research.

  

Screening and Early Detection Studies

A New Urine Test May ID the Deadliest Prostate Cancers

ACS Professor Dr. Chinnaiyan led the development of a new urine test to identify whether a man has a high-grade prostate cancer.

5 Years After Routine PSA Testing Stopped Being Recommended

Five years after guidelines recommended against routine prostate cancer screening, later stage cancers continue to increase—for unknown reasons.

See All Screening & Early Prevention Studies

It is yet to be seen whether the 2018 updated USPSTF recommendations for informed decision-making for PSA-based screening for men ages 55 to 69 years will lead to an increase in PSA testing and halt or reverse the rise in late-stage prostate cancer-incidence rates.”

Ahmedin Jemal, DVM, PhD

Senior Vice President

Surveillance & Health Equity Science

Numbers to Know About Screening for Prostate Cancer 

50

age to start talking with doctor about prostate cancer for men who have an average risk 

45

age to start talking with doctor about prostate cancer for men with a family history and for Black men

40

age to start talking with doctor about prostate cancer for men who have more than 1 close relative with a history

Treatment Studies

2 Potential New Drug Pathways to a Prostate Cancer Target

ACS grantee's discovery of two new pathways to the well-known protein target, EZH2, may lead to new treatments for prostate cancer.

Proton Beam Therapy for Prostate Cancer Still Needs Studying

Researchers urge insurance providers to cover proton beam therapy in prostate cancer clinical trials to gain more evidence and reduce racial disparities in care.

Access to Medicaid Alone Doesn't Improve Prostate Cancer Care

Study finds that US states that expanded Medicaid still have barriers to adequate care from specialists for men with prostate cancer.

Results of Prostate Cancer Treatment Are Reduced with Obesity

Study finds that developing obesity after treatment was linked with an increased risk of death from prostate cancer for all men regardless of race.

Potential New Immunotherapy for Prostate Cancer Spread to Bone

Study finds that enhancing certain immune cells’ toxicity in bone may present a new treatment option for bone metastatic prostate cancer.

Mouse Study with Heart Meds May Spur New PC Treatment

An American Cancer Society research grantee found that a drug for chest pain can block the growth of prostate cancer in mice by blocking fat metabolism.

See All Treatment Studies

Eye-Opening Prostate Cancer Statistics

70%

how much higher the prostate cancer incidence rate is for Black men compared to White men

100%

5-year survival rate for 83% of men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer

34%

5-year survival rate for men diagnosed with distant-stage prostate cancer

Survivorship Studies

Prostate Cancer Survivors Who Eat More Chicken and Less Steak May Live Longer

Data from the ACS CPS-II Nutrition Study help show that prostate cancer survivors who eat more chicken and less steak may live longer.

Weight Gain After a Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer Can Be Deadly

Using CPS II data, researchers found that after a prostate cancer diagnosis, men with obesity or who gain 10 lbs, are more likely to die from all causes.

Genetic Tool May Lower African American Prostate Cancer Deaths

The development of a new predictive tool, using genetic information, may help guide treatment for prostate cancer, especially for African-American men.

See All Survivorship Studies

Prostate Cancer Research News

ACS Statistics Reports

Helpful Resources

We Fund Cancer Researchers Across the US

The ACS funds scientists who conduct research about prostate cancer at medical schools, universities, research institutes, and hospitals throughout the United States. We use a rigorous and independent peer review process to select the most innovative research project proposals to fund. 

Stats below are as of July 15, 2024. 

42

prostate cancer grants

$37M

funding for prostate cancer 

See More Research Funding Statistics