Learn about the Prognosis of Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Metastatic Prostate Cancer and Symptoms
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland in men located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Its main functions are to help create and store seminal fluid that is utilized to nourish sperm as well. Prostate cancer emerges when abnormal cells proliferate uncontrollably in the prostate. The accumulation of abnormal cells form a tumor that can attack nearby tissue. It constitutes a malignant tumor and becomes metastatic if it spreads to other organs such as the bones, spinal cord, kidneys, and brain. This is known as metastatic or advanced prostate cancer. Symptoms involve pain in the back and pelvis, weakness, numbness, sudden inability to urinate, and anemia. Click on image to enlarge.
Diagnosis
Your doctor will perform the screening blood test, which is a measurement of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, to examine whether or not you are suffering from prostate cancer. This test is applied to detect a protein known as the PSA in which the prostate gland releases into the blood. The cancer is also diagnosed on a biopsy. Determining the best survival rate for the cancer also requires grading and staging.
Doctors apply the Gleason scoring system resulting from the biopsy to determine grading. The system gives a number from one to five according to how formless cancer cells are. As the cells often appear differently, the score of the common malformed cells is calculated with the next common malformed cells resulting in a total score from two to ten. If the number is higher, it means that cancer cells are more malignant in addition to being more metastatic. Staging determines how far the cancer has spread. It goes from 0 to IV, while metastatic prostate cancer is known as stage IV.
The doctor can analyze that you have reached stage IV if the Gleason score is 8 or higher. He or she then examines you by performing a X-ray evaluation where symptoms usually occur. CT scans and bone scans are other tests to search for the proliferation of cancer cells.
Prognosis and Survival Rate
The PSA levels, grading, and staging can determine prognosis of metastatic prostate cancer, which is affected by several factors such as general health, age, and the body’s reaction to the treatments. Stage IV prostate cancer leads to a lower survival rate unless it is treated. The Gleason score of 8, 9, or 10 and the PSA levels more than 10 ng/ml will signify that you have a poor prognosis. Most men with metastatic cancer or stage IV are likely to live approximately one to three years after being diagnosed, but some might live for the next several years.
This cancer happens in almost 20 percent of prostate cancer patients. Risks of cancerous cells to spread and influence other sites are much greater during stage IV. Researchers have revealed that there is only one survivor living more than five years or more out of three patients. Survival rate depends greatly on whether or not you undergo treatments. Once you have undergone radiation, chemotherapy, or hormone therapies, then your survival rate might extend for two years.
References
University of Maryland Medical Center: Prostate Cancer- Prognosis - https://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/what_risk_factors_prostate_cancer_000033_3.htm
A.P. John Institute for Cancer Research: Prostate Cancer - https://www.apjohncancerinstitute.org/cancer/prostate.htm
The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: Prostate Cancer - https://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec21/ch239/ch239c.html
Scumdoctor.com: Survival Rates for Men with Stage 4 Prostate Cancer - https://www.scumdoctor.com/disease-prevention/cancer/survival-rates-for-men-with-stage-4-prostate-cancer.html
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of the National Library of Medicine.
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