Prostate cancer occurs when abnormal cells develop in the prostate, forming a malignant tumour. Early, or localised, prostate cancer refers to cancer cells that have grown but has not spread beyond the prostate.
Prostate cancer is generally a slow growing disease and the majority of men with low grade prostate cancer live for many years without it spreading.
There are two stages of advanced prostate cancer:
- locally advanced prostate cancer where the cancer has spread outside the prostate
- metastatic prostate cancer where the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men in Australia.
