Research advances over the last 40 years have helped to make prostate cancer one of the most treatable of all cancers. Today, nearly all men who are in otherwise good health live at least five years after a prostate cancer diagnosis, up from 65 percent in the 1970s.

However, important research challenges remain. Recent trials have questioned the value of routine PSA testing to screen for prostate cancer, and researchers continue to search for a screening test that can accurately detect high-risk cases of the disease. New treatments are urgently needed for men with advanced stages of the disease, for whom survival remains low. In addition, racial disparities in prostate cancer mortality point to the need for better knowledge of the biology of prostate cancer, and improved access to care for many with the disease.