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University of California San Francisco
Patient Education

Patient's Guide to Prostate Cancer: Introduction

Related Conditions
Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer, other than skin cancer, among American men. It is diagnosed primarily in older men, although men in their 30s and 40s also have been diagnosed with the disease.

Most prostate cancers are slow growing, but some grow more quickly and spread or metastasize to other parts of the body. If unchecked, these spreading cancers can be fatal. Prostate cancer can be treated successfully, particularly if it is discovered early. Most men with this disease are living testimony to this.

Because prostate cancer usually grows slowly, immediate action to treat it usually isn't necessary. Many men take as long as a number of months to decide what to do. Decision making about treating prostate cancer can be complicated. The treatments chosen can profoundly affect your life. You need to be fully informed about the pros and cons of the various treatments, to get second opinions, and to decide what is best for you, all of which may take time.

Your decision will depend on your particular situation and your personal priorities. Learning about prostate cancer from a variety of sources, involving your family and attending a support group can help you to take charge and become an active participant in your care. Ultimately, you need to choose the treatments with which you feel most comfortable.

Continue Reading

  • Next: What Is Prostate Cancer?

Return to the Patient's Guide to Prostate Cancer Index:

  • Introduction
  • What is Prostate Cancer?
  • How is Prostate Cancer Detected?
  • Formal Diagnosis, Grading and Staging
  • Treating Prostate Cancer
  • Some Helpful Hints

UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider.

Related clinic

Prostate Cancer Center

Bakar Precision Cancer Medicine Building

1825 Fourth St., Sixth Floor
San Francisco, CA 94158

M-F, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Recommended reading

Nutrition and Prostate Cancer

Good nutrition may reduce the incidence of prostate cancer and help reduce the risk of prostate cancer progression. Learn more here.

Prostate Cancer Glossary

Use this Prostate Cancer Glossary to help you understand some of the more esoteric terminology including, adjuvant, brachytherapy, seminal vesicles and more.

Key treatments

  • Robotic radical prostatectomy

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If you're a patient or visitor in one of our hospitals or clinics, you are required to wear a mask.

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Did you know?

In 1981, UCSF's Gail Martin co-discovered embryonic stem cells in mice and coined the term "embryonic stem cell." Today, our stem cell center is one of the largest in the U.S., and our researchers there are developing new treatment strategies for a broad range of disorders, including heart disease, diabetes, neurological conditions and cancer.

Learn more
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