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About IDPH

Prostate and Testicular Cancer

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Prostate Cancer

  • Symptoms include frequent urination, difficulty initiating urination or an interrupted flow, painful urination, erectile dysfunction, blood in urine or semen, and frequent lower back, hip, or upper thigh pain.
  • There were 236,659 new cases of prostate cancer in 2021 and 33,363 deaths from prostate cancer in 2022 (U.S.).
    • 1,262 of the 33,363 total United States deaths from prostate cancer in 2022 were from men in Illinois.
    • Prostate cancer is most often diagnosed in men over the age of 50.
  • Early detection is key! There is a 96.9% five-year survival rate for prostate cancer overall, which increases to 100% if identified in the early/localized stages. The five-year survival rate drops to 36.2% if identified in late/distant stage, which occurs in 8% of initial prostate cancer diagnoses.
  • 70% of prostate cancer cases are diagnosed in the early stage, but that number could be higher with improved symptom awareness and screening.

Top 10 Cancers by Rate of New Cases in Illinois Men (2021)

Type of Cancer Rate (per 100000 Men)
CDC: U.S. Cancer Statistics Data Visualizations Tool

Prostate Cancer Screening

Prostate cancer screening recommendations are best discussed with your doctor and should be based on your risk profile, but are recommended to be considered between the ages of 55-69.

American Cancer Society Recommendations

  • Age 50 for men at average risk of prostate cancer who are expected to live at least 10 more years.
  • Age 45 for men at high risk of prostate cancer, including all Black men and any man with a father or brother diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 65.
  • Age 40 for men at even higher risk, including any men with more than one brother or both a father and brother who had prostate cancer, and men who carry any BRCA gene mutations.

United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening be considered between the ages of 55 and 69, but both benefits and potential harms should be considered and discussed with your doctor (false positives, overdiagnosis, and treatment).

Testicular Cancer

  • Symptoms include a lump or swelling in the testicle, swelling in the groin area, and/or pain in the testicle, groin area, or back.
  • Fewer cases/less risk than other male cancers, with an incidence rate of 5.7/100,000 men (2021) and 161,969 cases reported between 2001-2020 (U.S.).
  • Diagnosed earlier in life compared to other cancers. The highest rates are in the 25-35 age range, and 75% of cases occur between men 20-44 years of age.
  • Screening is currently not recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force due to a lack of evidence for effectiveness.

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