Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. It often grows slowly and may cause no symptoms early on. There are ways to check your risk and, where needed, treat it.
- Updated August 2026
- Clinical review pending
- 1 source
At a glance
- Prostate cancer mainly affects men over 50 and often grows slowly.
- Early prostate cancer often has no symptoms; urinary changes are usually caused by other things.
- There is no national screening programme, but a PSA blood test is available to discuss with a GP.
On this page (5 sections)
Overview
Prostate cancer develops in the prostate, a small gland below the bladder in men. It usually affects men over 50, and it often grows slowly, so it may not cause problems for many years [1].
Symptoms
Prostate cancer often causes no symptoms in its early stages. When symptoms do occur, they usually involve changes to peeing — but these are much more often caused by a common, non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate than by cancer [1].
Checking your risk (PSA test)
There is no national prostate cancer screening programme. A blood test called the PSA test is available for men who want to check their risk, but it has limitations and cannot on its own confirm or rule out cancer — a GP can talk through the pros and cons [1].
Treatment
Treatment depends on the individual. Some slow-growing cancers may simply be monitored, while others are treated with surgery, radiotherapy or other options [1].
When to see a GP
See a GP if you have ongoing changes to peeing, or if you would like to talk about your risk of prostate cancer and the PSA test [1].
Sources
- NHS. Prostate cancer (opens in new tab) Accessed 12 August 2026.
About this page
- Written by
- Consumer Health editorial team
- Medical review
- Pending — this page has not yet been reviewed by a named clinician. Read our medical review policy.
- Last updated
- August 2026
- Next review due
- August 2027
Important: This information is for general guidance only and does not replace professional medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Always speak to a qualified healthcare professional — such as your GP or pharmacist — for advice about your individual circumstances, and do not start, stop or change any prescribed treatment based only on this page. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 999. Consumer Health is an independent health-information resource and is not the NHS or a government body.
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