Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a major health problem. In the UK, it is the most common male cancer and the second most common cause of male cancer death. Its strongest predeterminant is increasing age. Virtually all cancers are adenocarcinomas, the grade being indicated by the Gleason score. There are often no presenting symptoms. Investigations such as serum prostate specific antigen, digital rectal examination, biopsy and, increasingly, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are required for diagnosis. Local staging consists of MRI, with computed tomography (CT), bone scanning and, increasingly, positron emission tomography-CT for detecting metastases.