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Prostate Cancer Cells
Cancer begins in cells, the building blocks that make
up tissues. Tissues make up the organs of the body.
Normal cells grow and divide to form new cells as
the body needs them. When normal cells grow old or
get damaged, they die, and new cells take their place.
Sometimes, this process goes wrong. New cells
form when the body doesn't need them, and old or
damaged cells don't die as they should. The buildup of
extra cells often forms a mass of tissue called a growth
or tumor.
Prostate growths can be benign (not cancer) or
malignant (cancer).
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a
benign growth of prostate cells. It is not cancer.
The prostate grows larger and squeezes the
urethra. This prevents the normal flow of urine.
BPH is a very common problem. In the United
States, most men over the age of 50 have
symptoms of BPH. For some men, the symptoms
may be severe enough to need treatment.
To learn about BPH and other prostate changes
that are not cancer, read NCI's booklet
Understanding Prostate Changes: A Health
Guide for Men.
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Benign growths are not as harmful as malignant
growths:
- Benign growths (such as BPH):
- are rarely a threat to life
- can be removed and probably won't grow back
- don't invade the tissues around them
- don't spread to other parts of the body
- Malignant tumors:
- may be a threat to life
- often can be removed, but sometimes grow back
- can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs
- can spread to other parts of the body
Cancer cells can spread by breaking away from the
prostate tumor. They enter blood vessels or lymph vessels, which branch into all the tissues of the body.
The cancer cells can attach to other tissues and grow to
form new tumors that may damage those tissues. The
spread of cancer is called metastasis. See the Staging
section for information about prostate
cancer that has spread.
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