Many men still associate this diagnosis with an inevitability or hesitate to talk about it, out of modesty or lack of knowledge. However, better understanding this cancer – its frequency, its generally slow progression, and the many treatment options that exist today – allows us to approach the subject with much more serenity. This first article in our series lays the foundations; the next eleven will delve deeper into screening, risk factors, diagnosis, treatments and life after prostate cancer.
1. A little-known gland, a very common cancer
The prostate is a small gland the size of a chestnut, located under the bladder in men, which participates in the production of seminal fluid. With age, its cells can proliferate abnormally and give rise to cancer — most often adenocarcinoma, which develops from glandular cells.
This cancer ranks first among cancers in men in France, representing around a quarter of all male cancers, far ahead of lung and colon-rectum cancers. It remains rare before the age of 50: its incidence then increases gradually, the majority of cases being diagnosed after the age of 65.
2. Figures that must be read with their counterpart: the prognosis
In France, around 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, for an average age at diagnosis of 64 to 68 years according to studies. It is the third leading cause of cancer death in humans, with approximately 9,000 deaths per year. These figures, although significant, must be put into perspective with the survival rate, which is among the highest of all cancers.
| Indicator | Data | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New cases per year (France) | ≈ 60 000 | 1st cancer in men, far ahead of lung and colon-rectum |
| Net survival at 5 years | 93 to 94% | One of the cancers with the best overall prognosis |
| Survival at 10 ans | ≈ 80 % | Prognosis which remains favorable in the long term |
| Cancers diagnosed at the localized stage | ≈ 80% | The majority are detected first extension |
| Average age at diagnosis | 64 to 68 years | Rare before age 50, incidence increasing with age |
Mortality linked to this cancer has been decreasing steadily since the 1990s, thanks to better detection and constant improvement in treatments. This is an essential point to keep in mind throughout this series: a diagnosis of prostate cancer is, in the vast majority of cases, neither a life-threatening emergency nor inevitable.
3. A cancer that is often silent, which justifies particular vigilance
Most men with localized prostate cancer do not experience any symptoms: the disease is most often discovered during a blood test (PSA) or a rectal exam, without any prior warning signs. When urinary problems are present, they are more often linked to benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), a completely distinct and benign condition, than to cancer itself - we will return to this in detail in a future article.
This frequent absence of symptoms explains why the question of screening — when, how, and for whom — is the subject of significant debate among health professionals. We will devote the entire next article to this subject, which deserves to be well understood before any individual decision.
4. A cancer with multiple forms of evolution
An important particularity of prostate cancer: it actually brings together very different situations. Some forms progress so slowly that they will never require active treatment; others, rarer, are more aggressive and require rapid treatment. This diversity explains why the simple announcement of “prostate cancer” alone says almost nothing about what will follow – the prognosis depends above all on the stage, the grade and individual factors which we will detail in future issues.
⚠️ Medical Takeaway
Localized, low-risk prostate cancer is not an emergency: time to understand the diagnosis and the available options, in full knowledge of the facts, is almost always available.
The absence of symptoms never excludes prostate cancer — on the contrary, it is the most common situation at the time of diagnosis.
All lasting urinary abnormality justifies a consultation, if only to distinguish a benign cause (very common) from a rarer cause requiring additional examinations.
Tips to remember:
- ●Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in France, but also one of those with the best prognosis: 5-year survival exceeds 93%.
- ●The vast majority of prostate cancers are diagnosed at a localized stage, before any spread — a key factor in good overall prognosis.
- ●This cancer most often develops without any symptoms: its diagnosis is almost always based on routine examinations, not on warning signs.
- ●All forms of prostate cancer do not progress in the same way: some very slowly, others more quickly — hence the importance of a precise diagnosis rather than a single category.
- ●Mortality from prostate cancer has been decreasing steadily since the 1990s: progress in screening and treatment has concrete benefits for patients. The Iris Prévention health check-up can help you take stock of your follow-up.
