What Is the Survial Rate for Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer behind skin cancer. While doctors use certain data to give a prognosis, no one can predict how long someone will survive cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, nine out of 10 prostate cancers are found in the earliest stages.

Determining Prognosis

• Doctors use five year survival statistics to determine prognosis for prostate and other types of cancer. They are usually broken down by type and stage of cancer. Data calculates the number of patients still alive five years later. May other individual factors influence prognosis as well such as age and overall health.

Considerations about Statistics

• Five year statistics are based on patients treated many years ago. According to the American Cancer Society, lots of advances have been made in diagnosing and treating prostate cancer and patients diagnosed as of 2009 probably have better statistics than currently available.

Prognosis for Local Prostate Cancer

• If your cancer has not spread beyond the prostate, the five year survival rate is 100 percent.

Prognosis for Regional Prostate Cancer

• If your cancer has spread beyond the prostate to areas near the prostate, the five year survival rate is still 100 percent.

Prognosis for Distant Prostate Cancer

• If your cancer has spread to distant organs, lymph nodes or bone, the five year survival rate is 31 percent.