Prostate Cancer Patients Have More Treatment Options Than Ever

Advances in diagnosis and treatment are improving outcomes for men with prostate cancer.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The American Cancer Society reports that about one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Today, less than 1% of the 3.5 million men living with prostate cancer are expected to die from it, thanks to new treatment options that can better target the cancer while minimizing side effects.

Why it matters

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men, so advancements in diagnosis and treatment can have a significant impact on patient outcomes and quality of life. The availability of more targeted and less invasive treatment options is especially important, as traditional treatments like surgery and radiation can cause severe side effects like urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

The details

Doctors can now better determine which prostate cancers need immediate treatment and which can be safely monitored through active surveillance. For localized, fast-growing cancers, surgery and radiation can be effective at eradicating the tumor. However, these treatments often lead to significant side effects. Newer options like hormone therapy and salvage HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound) can provide effective cancer control with fewer side effects. Hormone therapy can reduce the risk of death by over 40%, while salvage HIFU uses ultrasound to kill the cancer with minimal impact on urinary and sexual function.

  • The American Cancer Society reports that the average age of men diagnosed with prostate cancer is 67.
  • A 2023 study found that men who chose active monitoring lived just as long as those who underwent treatment.

The players

David Schuster, MD

Director of the division of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging at Emory University School of Medicine.

Zeyad Schwen, MD

Urologic oncologist at Cleveland Clinic.

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What they’re saying

“The big question is, which are the types that can be ignored, and which are the types that need action?”

— David Schuster, MD, Director of the division of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging at Emory University School of Medicine

“Men traditionally have severe urinary incontinence and erection issues after radiation when we've taken their prostate out.”

— Zeyad Schwen, MD, Urologic oncologist at Cleveland Clinic

“The hormonal therapies have a lot of side effects. They have fatigue, low libido, bone mineral density loss, there are cardiovascular side effects.”

— Zeyad Schwen, MD, Urologic oncologist at Cleveland Clinic

“The recovery time is much quicker. There's almost no pain. Also, the urine control and the sexual function usually is minimally changed.”

— Zeyad Schwen, MD, Urologic oncologist at Cleveland Clinic

The takeaway

The availability of more targeted and less invasive treatment options for prostate cancer, such as active surveillance, hormone therapy, and salvage HIFU, is allowing men to better manage their disease with fewer side effects. This is a significant advancement that can improve quality of life for the millions of men living with prostate cancer.