Stages, types and grades of prostate cancer
Localised prostate cancer is completely inside the prostate gland. It hasn’t spread outside the prostate gland or to any other parts of the body.
Doctors use the Cambridge Prognostic Group (CPG) to divide prostate cancer into 5 prognostic groups. This tells you how likely it is that your cancer will grow or spread.
In the TNM staging, localised prostate cancer is the same as T1 or T2. Below is a simplified description of the T1 and T2 stage:
T1 means the cancer is too small to be seen on a scan, or felt during an examination of the prostate.
T2 means the cancer is completely inside the prostate gland. It can usually be seen on a scan, or felt during an examination.
Find out more about TNM staging
We have a separate page about prostate cancer that has broken through the capsule (covering) of the prostate gland. Some people call this locally advanced prostate cancer.
Read about locally advanced prostate cancers
Understanding more about the different treatments and the side effects can help you cope.
Last reviewed: 06 Jun 2025
Next review due: 06 Jun 2028
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.
The TNM staging is a way of describing how far prostate cancer has grown. It stands for Tumour, Node, Metastasis.
Locally advanced prostate cancer means the cancer has broken through the capsule (covering) of the prostate gland.
You may have a choice of treatments such as surgery or radiotherapy. Or your doctor might suggest that they monitor your cancer instead of treatment straight away.
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.
Prostate cancer is cancer that starts in the prostate gland. The prostate gland is found at the base of the bladder and is about the size of a walnut.
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