Prostate cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the prostate. These abnormal cells divide and accumulate, forming a tumour. The tumour can then grow to invade other tissue, and can also spread to other parts of the body.
It is the third most common cancer among Singaporean men. Many prostate cancers grow slowly and do not cause any symptoms. These usually do not cause serious harm. However, some prostate cancers can grow aggressively and spread quickly, and this may cause serious harm.
Almost all prostate cancers develop from the gland cells – cells that make the prostate fluid that is in semen. This is known as adenocarcinoma.
There are, however, other types of rarer cancers of the prostate. These types include:
Small cell carcinomas
Neuroendocrine tumours
Transitional cell carcinomas