Survival for prostate cancer

The outlook (prognosis ) for prostate cancer is generally good, particularly if you are diagnosed early.

Survival depends on many factors. No one can tell you exactly how long you will live.

Below are general statistics based on large groups of people. Remember, they can’t tell you what will happen in your individual case. 

About these statistics

The terms 1 year survival and 5 year survival don't mean that you will only live for 1 or 5 years.

The NHS, other health organisations, and researchers collect information. They record what happens to people with cancer in the years after their diagnosis. 5 years is a common time point to measure survival. But some people live much longer than this.

5 year survival is the number of people who have not died from their cancer within 5 years after diagnosis.

Survival by stage

The stage of a cancer tells you about its size and whether it has spread. Your outlook (prognosis) depends on the stage of your cancer at diagnosis. 

There are statistics available for prostate cancer survival in England. But there are no UK-wide statistics for people with prostate cancer that also include Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Survival statistics are available for each stage of prostate cancer in England. These figures are for people diagnosed between 2013 and 2017. 

Stage 1

Stage 1 means the cancer is in only half of one side of the prostate, or less. It is completely contained within the prostate gland.

Almost everyone (almost 100%) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.

Stage 2

Stage 2 means the cancer is in more than half of one side of the prostate. But it is still completely contained within the prostate gland.

Almost everyone (almost 100%) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.

Stage 3

Stage 3 means the cancer has broken through the covering (capsule) of the prostate gland. It may have spread into tubes that carry semen (seminal vesicles).

Around 95 out of every 100 men (around 95%) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis.

Stage 4

Stage 4 can mean different things, including:

• the cancer has spread into nearby body organs, such as the back passage or bladder

• the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes

• the cancer has spread to other parts of the body outside the pelvis, such as the bones, lungs or liver

Around 50 out of every 100 men (around 50%) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.

Your outlook depends on your individual situation, so talk to your specialist doctor about your prognosis. 

Survival for all stages of prostate cancer

Generally for men with prostate cancer in England:

• more than 95 out of 100 (more than 95%) will survive their cancer for 1 year or more
• around 90 out of 100 (around 90%) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more
• almost 80 out of 100 (almost 80%) will survive their cancer for 10 years or more

What affects survival

Your outlook (prognosis) depends on the stage of your cancer when it was diagnosed. This means how big it is and how far it has spread. If your cancer has spread (metastatic prostate cancer) your specialist doctor can talk to you about your prognosis. They will consider several factors including where the cancer has spread to. 

The grade of your cancer also affects your survival. The grade tells you how much the cancer cells look like normal cells, and how quickly it is likely to grow. There are 5 Grade Groups. Grade Group 1 is the least aggressive and Grade Group 5 is the most aggressive. 

Your outlook also depends on your PSA level. A high PSA level may mean your cancer grows more quickly. It also depends on the type of prostate cancer.

Your general health and fitness affect survival. The fitter you are, the better you are able to cope with your cancer and treatment. 

More statistics

For more in-depth information about survival and prostate cancer, go to our Cancer Statistics section.