Advanced Prostate Carcinoma

Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer, following skin cancer, among men in the United States. Advanced prostate cancer is prostate cancer that has spread beyond the prostate gland and may have spread to other parts of the body.

Patients with advanced prostate cancer may present with different symptoms depending on how far the cancer has spread. Symptoms may include the following:

Pain in bones or other areas
Weight loss
Blood in the urine
Difficulty with urination
Pain in the hips, thighs, or feet
Fatigue and malaise
Abdominal or pelvic pain
Nausea or vomiting

Advanced prostate cancer is typically treated with surgery and/or radiation therapy, but more recently, the use of chemotherapy and/or hormone therapy have been used in conjunction with these treatments. Surgery may be used to remove the cancer-affected prostate gland, as well as other nearby lymph nodes, while radiation therapy uses radiation beams to target the cancer cells and kill them. Chemotherapy is the use of powerful drugs to kill cancer cells, while hormone therapy works by blocking hormones that can encourage cancer growth. In some cases, a combination of treatments may be used to fight advanced prostate cancer.

It is important to talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms of prostate cancer. Early detection and treatment are important in the management of prostate cancer. It is also important to speak to your doctor about any risks and benefits of any treatments for advanced prostate cancer to make sure they are right for you.