Stages of Prostate Cancer

Your doctor will refer to the stage of your prostate cancer by either a number or a letter.

Stage I (A): Cancer cannot be detected by digital rectal examination and is confined to the prostate without evidence of spread outside the prostate.

Stage II (B): The cancer can be detected by digital rectal examination or an elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) but there is no evidence that the cancer has spread outside the prostate to other organs.

Stage III (C): Cancer has extended through the capsule that encloses the prostate gland and may involve nearby tissues.

Stage IV (D): Cancer invades structures adjacent to the prostate, has spread to the lymph nodes, or to other parts of the body such as the liver, bones or lungs.

Recurrent/Relapsed: The prostate cancer has been detected or returned (recurred/relapsed) following an initial treatment with surgery and radiation or hormonal therapy.

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