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Prostate Cancer Outcomes

As Georgia’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University provides better-than-average prostate cancer outcomes and survival rates.

Prostate Cancer Outcomes

While a prostate cancer diagnosis should be taken seriously, most men will not die from prostate cancer. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, millions of men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer are still alive today.

At Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Georgia’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, we treat a high volume of patients with prostate cancer each year, delivering patients a positive prostate cancer prognosis.

Prostate Cancer Survival Rate

Survival rates for prostate cancer are generally very good. Prostate cancer outcomes depend on several factors, including:

  • Stage of the cancer (how advanced it is)
  • How well the cancer responds to treatment
  • Age and overall health of the patient

According to national statistics from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the five-year prostate cancer survival rates are as follows for its different stages:

  • Localized cases (No sign that the cancer has spread outside of the prostate): more than 99%
  • Regional cases (The cancer has spread outside the prostate to nearby areas or lymph nodes): more than 99%
  • Distant cases (The cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, like the lungs, liver or bones): 31%

Prostate cancer treatments have improved radically over the years. Most men who are diagnosed will now survive long after the cancer has been treated.

Rates of Recurrence

For most men living with prostate cancer, treatment successfully destroys the cancer. But for some men, the cancer may come back in other parts of the body. And for others, the cancer may never go away completely. Coping with cancer recurrence can be extremely difficult.

Luckily, there are treatment options available including hormone therapy, targeted drug therapy and chemotherapy that can help control the cancer and its spread for as long as possible. The specific type of treatment will depend on the location of the cancer, what types of treatment the patient has already had and their overall health.

Because prostate cancer can return — even years after treatment — it is crucial to continue regular doctor visits. Be sure to tell your doctor as soon as possible if you have any new symptoms such as trouble urinating or bone pain.

Talk with your doctor about cancer recurrence and any other concerns you may have.