Stage 3 prostate cancer is a fairly advanced stage of prostate cancer in which cancer has been detected beyond the confines of the prostate itself.

The “stage” ofprostate cancerrefers to how advanced or spread throughout the body it is.

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What Is Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer develops in the prostate—a small gland that makes seminal fluid. It is one of the most common types of cancer in men. Prostate cancer usually grows over time and, in the beginning, usually stays within the prostate gland, where it may not cause serious harm. While some types of prostate cancer grow slowly and may need minimal or no treatment, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly.

Prostate cancer that is caught early has a better chance of successful treatment.

Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer that is more advanced may cause signs and symptoms such as:

Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer

Factors that can increase your risk of prostate cancer include the following.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Make an appointment with your healthcare provider if you have any signs or symptoms that worry you. You can talk about the possibility of prostate cancer screening, if necessary.

What Does Your TNM Prostate Cancer Stage Mean?

The TNM system for describing prostate cancer uses the letters “T,” “N,” and “M,” which stand for “tumor,” “nodes,” and “metastasis.”

Specifically, stage 3 prostate cancer has extended through the capsule that surrounds the prostate but has not spread to distant sites in the body.

There are two sub-stages of stage 3 prostate cancer.

3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Amiya Y, Yamada Y, Sugiura M.Treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer (Stage T3).Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2017;47(3):257-261. doi:10.1093/jjco/hyw186Cuzick J, Thorat MA, Andriole G.Prevention and early detection of prostate cancer.Lancet Oncol. 2014;15(11):e484–e492. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(14)70211-6Hamilton W, Sharp D.Symptomatic diagnosis of prostate cancer in primary care: a structured review.Br J Gen Pract. 2004;54(505):617–621.Additional ReadingKumar V, Abbas A, Fausto N. Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease 7th Edition. 2004.Mayo Clinic,Prostate Cancer.

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Amiya Y, Yamada Y, Sugiura M.Treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer (Stage T3).Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2017;47(3):257-261. doi:10.1093/jjco/hyw186Cuzick J, Thorat MA, Andriole G.Prevention and early detection of prostate cancer.Lancet Oncol. 2014;15(11):e484–e492. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(14)70211-6Hamilton W, Sharp D.Symptomatic diagnosis of prostate cancer in primary care: a structured review.Br J Gen Pract. 2004;54(505):617–621.Additional ReadingKumar V, Abbas A, Fausto N. Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease 7th Edition. 2004.Mayo Clinic,Prostate Cancer.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Amiya Y, Yamada Y, Sugiura M.Treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer (Stage T3).Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2017;47(3):257-261. doi:10.1093/jjco/hyw186Cuzick J, Thorat MA, Andriole G.Prevention and early detection of prostate cancer.Lancet Oncol. 2014;15(11):e484–e492. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(14)70211-6Hamilton W, Sharp D.Symptomatic diagnosis of prostate cancer in primary care: a structured review.Br J Gen Pract. 2004;54(505):617–621.

Amiya Y, Yamada Y, Sugiura M.Treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer (Stage T3).Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2017;47(3):257-261. doi:10.1093/jjco/hyw186

Cuzick J, Thorat MA, Andriole G.Prevention and early detection of prostate cancer.Lancet Oncol. 2014;15(11):e484–e492. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(14)70211-6

Hamilton W, Sharp D.Symptomatic diagnosis of prostate cancer in primary care: a structured review.Br J Gen Pract. 2004;54(505):617–621.

Kumar V, Abbas A, Fausto N. Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease 7th Edition. 2004.Mayo Clinic,Prostate Cancer.

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