Prostate Cancer in 2025:
What Every Man Needs to Know

Last updated: 24 June 2025

As a urologist, prostate cancer is a concern I encounter daily, both in my practice and in conversations with patients and their families. Fortunately, in 2025, advances in diagnostic technologies have significantly enhanced our ability to detect prostate cancer early, avoid unnecessary procedures, and help men make informed, confident choices about their health.

Here's what you need to know.

Prostate Cancer Today: The 2025 Snapshot

Prostate cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer among men in the US. In 2025, the American Cancer Society estimates that in the US¹:

• 313,780 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer
• Nearly 36,000 men will die from the disease

Globally, prostate cancer's burden is increasing rapidly, particularly as populations age and life expectancy improves. By 2040, diagnosed prostate cancer cases worldwide are expected to more than double from 1.4 million to nearly 2.9 million, with annual deaths potentially surpassing 700,000².

These trends show the improvements being made in diagnosing prostate cancer and underscore the importance of accurate and personalized tools to identify cancer early and improve outcomes³.

Who's Most at Risk?

Some men are more likely to develop prostate cancer than others. Key risk factors include:

• Age: Risk significantly increases with age
• Family History: Having a father or brother diagnosed with prostate cancer more than doubles your risk
• Race: Black men are about 70% more likely to develop prostate cancer than white men—and are twice as likely to die from it¹

PSA Testing: Helpful, But Not Always Clear

The PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) blood test has long been the first step in screening for prostate cancer. It's quick, simple, and inexpensive. But it also has limitations:

• Elevated PSA levels can be caused by non-cancerous issues like BPH (enlarged prostate) or prostatitis
• A high PSA doesn't always mean cancer—up to 75% of elevated results turn out to be false alarms
• This can lead to unnecessary biopsies—and even overtreatment—which are invasive, stressful, and often avoidable^4,5

A More Accurate Blood Test: EpiSwitch® PSE

To make prostate cancer screening more precise, Oxford BioDynamics developed the EpiSwitch PSE prostate cancer detection test, a next-generation blood test that builds on the PSA by adding powerful epigenetic insights. Here's how it works:

• Combines PSA with five powerful informative 3D genomic biomarkers associated with the presence or absence of prostate cancer
• Delivers 94% accuracy in predicting true cancer risk
• Can help to reduce unnecessary biopsies by identifying which men truly need further evaluation

In my clinic, EpiSwitch PSE has helped men avoid unneeded procedures, reduce uncertainty, and make more confident decisions.^4,5 We recently submitted a clinical study showing how this test lowered biopsy rates in real-world use, and we hope to see it published before the end of the summer.

When Should You Get Tested?

Current recommended screening guidelines in the US:

• Age 45+: Average-risk individuals.
• Age 40+: Higher-risk individuals (Black men and those with a family history).
• Screening should always involve a personalized discussion with your healthcare provider, considering your health history and background.⁶

The Path Forward: Empowering Men Through Early Detection

Prostate cancer while serious, is highly treatable when detected early. That is why accurate and personalized testing is important. While the PSA test remains a helpful starting point, combining it with advanced tools like the EpiSwitch PSE test provides clearer insights, supports more confident decision-making, and helps doctors and patients navigate choices together.⁵

If you or someone close to you is concerned about prostate cancer, know that support and better options are available. Talk to your doctor, explore all available testing approaches including EpiSwitch PSE, and take an active role in your health.

I tell my patients: "Knowing your PSA is a good start, but it's only part of the story. If your PSA is elevated, we now have more advanced tools—like the EpiSwitch PSE blood test—that give us a clearer picture before rushing into a biopsy."

Whether you're just starting to think about screening or have a history of elevated PSA, talk to your doctor. The EpiSwitch PSE is available to order by any doctor nationwide in the US and UK. In the UK, it's also accessible through our partner Goodbody Clinic at over 150 sites and is eligible for coverage by Bupa UK.

Don't wait for symptoms. Don't wait until it's too late. If you or someone you care about is over 40—especially with a family history or other risk factors—take the first step. Start the conversation. Know your risk. And take control of your health.

About the Author

Dr. Garrett Pohlman is a board-certified urologist at Kearney Urology Center PC and host of the Prostate Health Podcast. He is passionate about advancing men's health and helping patients make informed decisions.

Learn more about the EpiSwitch® PSE test at 94percent.com

References

1) American Cancer Society. (2025). Cancer Facts & Figures 2025. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2025/2025-cancer-facts-and-figures-acs.pdf

2) Schafer, E., Laversanne, M., Sung, H., Soerjomataram, I., Briganti, A., Dahut, W., Bray, F., & Jemal, A. (2025). Recent patterns and trends in global prostate cancer incidence and mortality: An update. European Urology, 87(3), 302 – 313. https://www.europeanurology.com/article/S0302-2838(24)02707-6/fulltext

3) Harris, E. (2024). Prostate Cancer Cases Might Rise to 3 Million Globally by 2040. Journal of the American Medical Association, 331(20). https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2818443

4) Integrated Care Journal. (2025). New prostate cancer test cuts biopsies by 50% in US real-world use. https://integratedcarejournal.com/new-prostate-cancer-test-cuts-biopsies-50-us-real-world-use

5) Pchejetski et al. (2023). Circulating CCS Significantly Enhance PSA PPV and Overall Accuracy for Prostate Cancer Detection. Cancers, 15(3), 821. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cancers15030821

6) ZERO Prostate Cancer. (n.d.). NCCN Guidelines for Early Detection (Age, Risk Factors, PSA Scores) [Chart] https://zerocancer.org/about-prostate-cancer/downloadable-materials/psa-levels-age-chart