Prostate cancer

Stages, types and grades of prostate cancer

The tests and scans you have to diagnose prostate cancer give information about:

the type of cell the cancer started in and where it began
how abnormal the cells look under the microscope (the grade)
the size of the cancer and whether it has spread (the stage)

Doctors use the Grade score or Gleason score and other information to divide prostate cancer into 5 groups. This is called the Cambridge Prognostic Group (CPG).

Your doctor might also tell you about the TNM stage, or you may see this on your pathology report. Another way doctors may describe your cancer is as localised, locally advanced and metastatic prostate cancer.

Find out about the tests you might have to diagnose prostate cancer

Types of prostate cancer

The type of prostate cancer tells you which type of cell the cancer started in. The most common type is adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Cambridge prognostic groups and risk groups for prostate cancer

Doctors group prostate cancer into risk groups. In the UK, they now use the Cambridge Prognostic Group (CPG) system that divides prostate cancer into 5 risk groups.

Grade Groups of prostate cancer

The Grade Group gives your doctor an idea of how the cancer might behave and what treatment you need. This is also known as the Gleason score.

TNM staging for prostate cancer

The TNM staging is a way of describing how far prostate cancer has grown. It stands for Tumour, Node, Metastasis.

Localised prostate cancer

Localised prostate cancer is cancer that is completely inside the prostate gland.

Locally advanced prostate cancer

Locally advanced prostate cancer means the cancer has broken through the capsule (covering) of the prostate gland.

Metastatic prostate cancer

Metastatic prostate cancer means that a cancer that began in the prostate has spread to another part of the body. It is sometimes called advanced prostate cancer.

Last reviewed: 15 May 2025

Next review due: 15 May 2028