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Prostate Cancer Nomograms : Disclaimer

The prediction tools, also known as prognostic nomograms, located on the MSKCC Web site are for general health information only. The prediction tools are not to be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any health condition or problem.

Users of the prediction tools should not rely on information provided by the prediction tools for their own health problems. Questions should be addressed to your own physician or other healthcare provider.

MSKCC makes no warranties, nor express or implied representations whatsoever, regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, comparative or controversial nature, or usefulness of any information contained or referenced in the prediction tools. MSKCC does not assume any risk whatsoever for your use of the prediction tools or the information contained herein. Health related information changes frequently and therefore information contained in the prediction tools may be outdated, incomplete or incorrect.

Use of the prediction tools does not create an express or implied physician-patient relationship. MSKCC does not endorse or claim validity for the prediction tools found on the MSKCC Web site. The activities and products of MSKCC and its developers and agents (collectively MSKCC) are not endorsed by our past, present, or future employers. MSKCC does not record specific prediction tool user information and does not contact users of the prediction tools.

You are hereby advised to consult with a physician or other professional healthcare provider prior to making any decisions, or undertaking any actions or not undertaking any actions related to any healthcare problem or issue you might have at any time, now or in the future. In using the prediction tools, you agree that neither MSKCC nor any other party is or will be liable or otherwise responsible for any decision made or any action taken or any action not taken due to your use of any information presented in the prediction tools.

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Prostate Cancer Nomograms: Pre-Treatment

This nomogram can be used to predict what will happen after receiving a primary treatment (e.g. radical prostatectomy, brachytherapy, or external beam radiation therapy). To learn more, visit our frequently asked questions.

CalculateClearEnter Your Information

To gather the information required below, download our PDF worksheet.

PSA value from the laboratory report before receiving primary therapy.
 ng/ml (0.1 to 100)
years old (1 to 100)

Gleason Grade

If there is more than one biopsy core that tests positive for cancer, Gleason grade should be taken from the single biopsy core with the highest Gleason primary and secondary grade.
Primary Gleason grade from the biopsy pathology report.
Secondary Gleason grade from the biopsy pathology report.
Gleason sum will be automatically calculated from the primary and secondary Gleason grade or can be entered here as a single number if the primary and secondary Gleason grade are not known.

Clinical Tumor Stages

Clinical tumor stage is determined by digital rectal examination and does not include stages determined by imaging studies.
1992 UICC clinical staging system.
1997 UICC clinical staging system

Biopsy Cores

The number of positive, or cancerous, samples taken during biopsy.
 (1 to 20)
The number of negative, or noncancerous, samples taken during biopsy.
 (0 to 20)

Planned or Non-Primary Treatment Information

Prescribed dose of external beam radiation therapy in Gy from consultation with radiation oncologist. (1,000 rads = 10 Gys.)
 Gy (64.8 to 86.4)
Treated with hormone therapy prior to primary treatment with radiation therapy?
Treated with external beam radiation in combination with brachytherapy?

Enter Advanced Details (for Medical Professionals)

Would you like to enter additional details?
This section -- which is optional and not required for predictions -- allows medical professionals to enter advanced clinical details from their patients' pathology reports, as well as from institutional patient databases.

Learn More About Your Results

Indolent Cancer

Indolent cancer is a type of cancer that grows slowly. This tool predicts the probability that your cancer is indolent and treatment may be unnecessary.

Supporting Publication

Counseling men with prostate cancer: a nomogram for predicting the presence of small, moderately differentiated, confined tumors. J Urol. 2003 Nov;170(5):1792-7.

Organ Confined Disease

Organ confined disease is a cancer that has not spread outside of the prostate. Men diagnosed with this clinically localized prostate cancer have a number of treatment options available. To better counsel men diagnosed with prostate cancer, this tool predicts the probability that the cancer will be found confined to the prostate if the prostate is removed.

Supporting Publication

Prediction of organ-confined prostate cancer: incremental value of MR imaging and MR spectroscopic imaging to staging nomograms. Wang L, Hricak H, Kattan MW, Chen HN, Scardino PT, Kuroiwa K. Radiology. 2006 Feb;238(2):597-603. Epub 2005 Dec 12.

Extracapsular Extension

Extracapsular extension is cancer that extends through the capsule of the prostate into the surrounding tissue, as determined from the radical prostatectomy pathology report. This tool predicts the overall likelihood that there is extracapsular extension and can further assess the probability of extracapsular extension on the left or right side of the prostate if the optional, enhanced clinical features are entered in the nomogram.

Supporting Publication

Predicting the presence and side of extracapsular extension: a nomogram for staging prostate cancer. J Urol. 2004 May;171(5):1844-9; discussion 1849.
Prediction of Organ Confined Prostate Cancer: Incremental Value of MR Imaging and MR Spectroscopic Imaging to Staging Nomograms, Radiology, 2006, volume 238, pages 597- 603.

Seminal Vesicle Invasion

Seminal vesicle invasion means the prostate cancer has spread into the seminal vesicles, a gland attached to the prostate that helps produce the semen. This tool predicts the probability that the prostate cancer has spread to one or both seminal vesicles. A more accurate prediction can be made when the optional, enhanced data is entered.

Supporting Publication

A nomogram to predict seminal vesicle invasion by the extent and location of cancer in systematic biopsy results. J Urol. 2003 Oct;170(4 Pt 1):1203-8.

Lymph Node Involvement

This tool predicts the probability that prostate cancer has spread to the pelvic lymph nodes.

Supporting Publication

A preoperative nomogram identifying decreased risk of positive pelvic lymph nodes in patients with prostate cancer. J Urol. 2003 Nov;170(5):1798-803.

Progression Free Probability after Radical Prostatectomy

This tool predicts the five and 10 year probability that the PSA will remain undetectable and that prostate cancer will not progress or recur after radical prostatectomy.

Supporting Publication

Preoperative nomogram predicting the 10-year probability of prostate cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2006 May 17;98(10):715-7.

5 Year Progression Free Probability with External Beam Radiation Therapy

This tool predicts the probability that the PSA will remain low and not rise and that the cancer will not progress or recur after receiving three dimensional, conformal radiotherapy.

Supporting Publication

Pretreatment nomogram for predicting the outcome of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy in prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2000 Oct 1;18(19):3352-9.

5 Year Progression Free Probability with Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is a procedure in which radioactive material sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters is placed directly into or near a tumor. This tool predicts the probability that cancer will not recur at five years for patients treated with brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer.

Supporting Publication

Pretreatment nomogram for predicting freedom from recurrence after permanent prostate brachytherapy in prostate cancer. Urology. 2001 Sep;58(3):393-9.

Metastases Probability After Conformal Radiation Therapy

This tool predicts the probability that a patient’s prostate cancer will have spread within five and eight years after receiving three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy, a form of external beam radiation therapy that uses a machine to aim high-energy rays at the cancer.

Supporting Publication

Pretreatment nomogram that predicts 5-year probability of metastasis following three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2003 Dec 15;21(24):4568-71.