Knowing the stages will help ease the process

The man with a prostate cancer diagnosis should learn about the different stages of his disease since his cancer will be classified with one of them. In stage I (also A1 prostate cancer) cancer is only in the prostate and will not be felt during a digital rectal exam or be visible by any imaging. It may be accidentally discovered when surgery is performed for another reason such as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH (a noncancerous condition in which prostate tissue has overgrown and blocked the flow of urine). In this stage the Gleason score is low. Gleason scoring is a grading system (from 2 to 10) for prostate cancer tissue and its appearance under the microscope: A low score will mean the cancer tissue looks similar to normal tissue and the tumor is less likely to spread; higher scores will indicate the cancer tissue is different from normal tissue and the cancer’s likelihood of spreading is much higher. Stage II (A2 stage B1 or stage B2 prostate cancer) is more advanced than stage I but still contained within the prostate. In this stage the Gleason score can range from 2 to 10.

In stage III (or stage C) cancer has spread outside the prostate’s outer layer to nearby tissues and possibly into the seminal vesicles (glands which produce semen). The Gleason score will range from 2 to 10. Finally in stage IV (also called D1 or stage D2) prostate cancer has metastasized spreading into the lymph nodes nearby tissue and body parts farther away from the prostate in such areas as the bladder rectum lungs liver and into the bones. The Gleason score will also range from 2 to 10 in this stage.

Before any final decisions will be made about his treatment the prostate cancer patient will consult with his primary care doctor and/or doctors (urologist radiation oncologist and/or medical oncologist). As they consider his complete medical record along with any ultrasound CT (Computerized Axial Tomography) scan MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) reports and biopsy records they will discuss possible prostate cancer treatments. Choosing the proper treatment for the patient will depend on his age his general health and the condition of the cancer “what stage it has progressed to whether it is still localized or spread and how large the tumor has grown.

These treatments may include one or more: Radiation therapy surgery hormone therapy or “watchful waiting.” For example in watchful waiting the cancer patient will be monitored closely with or without any treatment. If symptoms appear such as frequent or painful urination or painful ejaculation or if the symptoms change then other treatments may follow. Another example of possible treatment may be radiation brachytherapy (radiation therapy) in which radioactive material that is sealed in wires catheters needles or seeds are put directly into or nearby a tumor.

After treatment is chosen the patient will continue the treatment until the doctor/doctors decide to repeat earlier tests discovering if the treatment is working. Depending on the results the treatment may continue change or cease. After treatment has ended periodically the doctor will order follow-up testing or check ups to continue monitoring the effectiveness of the prostate cancer treatment.

Tip Of The Week: As the prostate cancer treatment continues the patient should also continue communicating with each of his doctors keeping them informed on how he is doing. If he is experiencing any treatment side effects such as pain from surgery (the doctor will prescribe pain medication) or diarrhea from radiation treatment the patient will also discuss this with his medical provider. After the treatment stops he needs to make sure he maintains a proactive approach to his prostate cancer. As he keeps his follow-up appointments maintains good health habits and keeps an open line of dialogue with his physicians the prostate cancer patient is no longer a cancer victim but a prostate cancer survivor.

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