September marks the beginning of Prostate Cancer Awareness month, and the American Cancer Society encourages men to talk with their doctor about their personal risk for the disease and whether screening is right for them.
The increase in prostate cancer diagnoses is largely due to more men being screened. This creates opportunities for early intervention and improved patient outcomes, although the American Cancer Society believes too many men are still not being screened early enough.
“We’re seeing two things happen at once: more men are being diagnosed with prostate cancer, and a growing share of those cases are happening at a more advanced stage,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society. “That tells us screening conversations are happening too late for too many men, particularly those at high risk for the disease.”
As reported in an American Cancer Society press release issued September 1, 2026, new cases of prostate cancer are up 3%, but earlier diagnosis is improving patient outcomes.
Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in American men, after lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Statistics 2026 report, 333,830 new cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year alone, and 36,320 men will die from the disease.
Research has shown that, compared with White men, Black men are nearly 70% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and two times more likely to die from the disease.
“Knowing your personal risk is the start of a conversation that can change your outcome,” said Dr. Dahut. “That first conversation with a doctor should happen before symptoms appear, not after. The important message here is that regular screening can save lives and detect cancer early when treatment can often be successful.”
About 1 in 8 men are shown to be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, but most men that are diagnosed do not die from the disease. In fact, more than 3.5 million men in the U.S. who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer are still alive today.
For more information about the American Cancer Society, visit cancer.org.