Can prostate cancer go away by its own?

In some cases, yes, prostate cancer can go away on its own. This phenomenon is known as spontaneous regression or remission and occurs when the body's immune system identifies cancer cells and destroys them without medical intervention. Spontaneous regression is extremely rare, with estimates of it occurring in fewer than 1% of prostate cancer cases overall.

That said, in order for spontaneous remission to occur there must be a few factors present: an early diagnosis (which means that the tumor hasn't had time to metastasize), a moderate amount of microvessel density (the number of blood vessels feeding the tumor), a low proliferation index (a measure of how quickly the cancer cells divide) and an appropriate immunological microenvironment (primarily composed of T-cells which can identify tumors and destroy them).

Overall, relying solely on spontaneous regression isn’t recommended given its rarity; more typically treatments such as surgery or radiation are used to effectively treat prostate cancer. If you have any questions about your diagnosis please speak to your doctor for personalized advice.