The risk of prostate cancer increases in men over age 50. About 60% of men with prostate cancer are over 65.

Military veterans exposed to Agent Orange, a chemical used during the Vietnam War, are at a higher risk of prostate cancer.

You’re more likely to develop prostate cancer if a close relative also had the disease. Some genetic abnormalities passed down through families may increase your risk, but hereditary prostate cancer isn’t common.

Prostate cancer is more common in North America and northern Europe. It’s on the rise in Asia.

High levels of testosterone (male sex hormone) may cause your prostate to get bigger and increase your risk for prostate cancer. More research is needed.

Black men more often than white men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. They are also more likely to develop prostate cancer earlier and receive diagnosis later than white men.

Research is ongoing about the link between your weight and prostate cancer. Some factors, such as being less active or overweight, may increase your risk.

A PSA test checks your blood for unusually high levels of a certain protein made by your prostate.

Your physician feels your prostate through your rectum (area above your anus) to check for bumps or other abnormalities.

We remove a small sample of tissue from your prostate gland during a ultrasound that we perform through your rectum. A pathologist looks at the sample under a microscope to detect cancer cells.

Imaging exams show cancer that has spread beyond the prostate gland. Your physician may recommend an MRI, CT scan or PET scan if you have advanced prostate cancer.

If you have low-risk prostate cancer (unlikely to spread), we may not recommend treatment right away. Treatment side effects may include erectile dysfunction or incontinence, so we make every effort to preserve your quality of life. Our experts carefully monitor your condition with tests, and intervene if the cancer becomes more severe.

Older adults with advanced prostate cancer may decide against treatment. In this case, we monitor your condition (usually without frequent tests) and treat symptoms so that you’re more comfortable.

Surgery may cure early-stage prostate cancers. At UC Davis Health, we specialize in both open and minimally invasive prostatectomies (surgery to remove the prostate gland). Our surgeons routinely perform robotic-assisted prostatectomies, which help you recover faster and with less pain.

Hormone therapy for prostate cancer uses drugs to reduce the amount of testosterone in your body. Since prostate cancer cells use testosterone to grow, hormone therapy may help prevent prostate cancer from coming back. We usually use hormone therapy in combination with surgery or radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. You may receive radiation therapy on its own, or after prostate surgery. We typically reserve radiation therapy for people whose cancer has not spread beyond their prostate.

At UC Davis, we offer the full range of prostate cancer treatments in addition to surgery and radiation. Your physician may recommend chemotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted therapies. All of these treatments work on cancer in different ways. Together, we choose the best therapies for your needs.