The contemporary management of prostate cancer has been shaped the utilization of PSA serology for prostate cancer detection and monitoring. One result of PSA early detection programmes is that younger patients are being diagnosed with and treated for prostate cancer. Consequently, there has been a concerted effort to improve long-term cancer control while preserving urinary and sexual function. This has been facilitated by the anatomic radical prostatectomy with, more recently, endoscopic modifications, as well as by advances in radiotherapy and other treatments. Consequently, increasing numbers of men are being cured of their prostate cancers and, by tailoring therapy to accomodate patients’ wishes, more and more are able to be satisfied with their quality of life throughout what is often a long period of management.

The past 10 years has witnessed a surge in basic, clinical, and translational research in prostate cancer. Fortunately, we are in the midst of a period of unprecedented collaboration between scientists and clinicians placing patients in a most favourable position to benefit from advances in basic science and experimental therapeutics. Even if a cure is not imminent, the welfare and quality of life of those diagnosed with this condition promises to continue to improve at an exponential rate through the careful and critical application of research findings.