Risk Groups
Your doctor will assign your cancer into a “risk group,” meaning your risk of developing recurrent, aggressive prostate cancer. The most common system is defined by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and is based on the PSA, rectal exam, and biopsy results. Your risk group guides your treatment options, as shown in the table below. Higher-risk cancers are at increased risk of spread outside the prostate at diagnosis and usually require more than one type of treatment.
| Risk Groups | Treatments |
|---|---|
| Very low/low | • Active surveillance • Surgery or radiation therapy may be appropriate for select patients |
| Intermediate • Favorable | • Surgery or radiation therapy • Active surveillance may be appropriate for select patients |
| Intermediate • Unfavorable | • Radiation therapy with hormone therapy OR • Surgery with or without radiation therapy |
| High/very high | • Radiation therapy with hormone therapy OR • Surgery with or without radiation therapy, with or without hormone therapy |
These risk groups are not perfect indicators of your risk for developing recurrent, aggressive prostate cancer. Newer tumor biomarker tests have been developed to aid physicians in more accurately telling the difference between cancers that are more likely to become fatal vs.those that are likely to remain in the prostate without spreading.
Ask your doctor which risk group your cancer is in so you can better understand the most appropriate next steps.
Last Reviewed: 12/2023
