Prostate cancer
On this page
- About prostate cancer
- Symptoms of prostate cancer
- Treating and managing prostate cancer
- Detecting prostate cancer
- Risk factors
- What Canada’s doing
About prostate cancer
The prostate is part of the male reproductive and urinary systems. It’s located just below the bladder and is responsible for producing some of the fluid that makes up semen.
Prostate cancer occurs when abnormal cells develop in the prostate and grow and multiply in an uncontrolled way. These cells can form a malignant (cancerous) tumour and may grow into nearby tissues or spread to other parts of the body.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among males (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). It makes up more than 20% of all cancers diagnosed in males. Nearly all cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in those aged 50 years and older.
In Canada, it’s estimated that about 12% of males will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. In 2026, an estimated 29,300 males will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 5,300 are expected to die from the disease. This represents 11% of all cancer deaths expected in males in 2026.
In Canada, the chance of surviving prostate cancer 5 years after diagnosis is about 91%.
Symptoms of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer may not cause symptoms early on. As the tumour grows, it can lead to changes in urination, such as:
- trouble starting to urinate
- pain or burning when urinating
- feeling unable to fully empty the bladder
- trouble controlling the bladder or leaking urine
- a sudden or strong need to urinate or urinating more often
- a weak or slow urine stream, or a stream that starts and stops
Other signs and symptoms may include:
- pain when sitting
- blood in the urine or semen
- pain or stiffness in the back, hips or pelvis
- difficulty getting an erection or pain during ejaculation
Treating and managing prostate cancer
Treatment plans depend on many factors. The Canadian Cancer Society has resources to help find what's best for you:
If you're supporting a friend or family member through their diagnosis, there are ways you can help:
Detecting prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is often found early. About 73% of prostate cancers are diagnosed at stages 1 and 2. This contributes to the higher survival rates experienced by people diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Talk to a health care provider about your risk of developing prostate cancer.
Learn more:
Risk factors
There’s no single cause of prostate cancer, but factors that may increase the risk of developing it include:
- excess body weight (overweight or obesity)
- older age, as almost all cases of prostate cancer occur in males aged 50 years and older
- a family history of prostate cancer or inheriting certain gene mutations
Prostate cancer is also more common in Black males than in males of other ethnicities.
Having 1 or more of these risk factors doesn’t mean you’ll develop prostate cancer. Some people develop prostate cancer without having any known risk factors.
Learn more:
What Canada's doing
At the Public Health Agency of Canada, we’re raising awareness and working to make sure you have access to:
- the latest scientific evidence
- resources to protect your health and well-being
We also monitor data from cancer and vital statistics registries to identify trends in:
- new cancer cases (incidence)
- cancer deaths (mortality)
- survival after a diagnosis
Along with our partners, we also help develop and publish reports on:
- cancer surveillance
- specific topics such as the cost of cancer and stage at diagnosis
Together, these efforts help inform and evaluate public health programs, policies and initiatives nationwide.
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research have invested in research to prevent, detect and treat cancer more effectively.
Health Canada provides funding to the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer to lead the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control. This is Canada’s 10-year action plan to fight cancer.
Learn more:
Related links
- Canadian Partnership Against Cancer
- Prostate cancer (Canadian Cancer Society)
- Prostate cancer statistics (Canadian Cancer Society)