More Prostate Cancer

Advanced Prostate Cancer

This fact sheet is for men with advanced prostate cancer who are having problems with pain. of treating and controlling your pain.

Prostate cancer affects 233,000 men in the United States every year. (See “Stages of Prostate Cancer,” at right.) But for men living with advanced prostate cancer, the prognosis is getting better all the time, with a number of effective treatments available.

When Prostate Cancer Comes Back

By now you have probably spoken with your doctor about PSA testing. PSA refers to “prostate-specific antigen,” a protein produced by the prostate gland. High levels of PSA in the blood usually signal the presence of prostate cancer. And if a man has already been treated for the disease with surgery or radiation, rising levels of PSA often mean his prostate cancer has returned (recurred).

Doctors do use other methods to search for a recurrence of prostate tumors: spots of cancer cells can be found with X-rays of the bone, CT scans of the abdomen or the pelvis, and MRI scans. But the PSA test is probably the best indicator.

Today, the standard for treating advanced metastatic prostate cancer is hormonal therapy. This type of treatment was begun in the early 1940s, when doctors discovered that the male

hormone testosterone acts like a fertilizer, encouraging the cancer to grow. That type of surgery

for prostate cancer isn’t used much in the United States anymore, although in some parts of the

world it still is.

Without male hormones, prostate cancer retreats—goes into remission—often for many years. Removing the testicles is a drastic-sounding solution.

• The cancer may have spread to the bones

• The cancer can sometimes spread to the uncomfortable.

• Problems related to the cancer, such as constipation or muscle tension.

• Side effects from your treatments – for might not be causing the pain.

Your specialist team should investigate the cause of your treatments. mainly focused on pain caused by the cancer spreading to the bones.

Tell your doctor immediately if you experience nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, excessive tiredness, loss of appetite, flu-like symptoms, dark yellow or brown urine, and/or yellowing of the skin or eyes.

The Anatomy of Prostate Cancer

This drawing shows a cross-section through the male genital region, as seen from the side, with the front of the body at the left. A large prostate tumor has broken out of the gland to affect important organs nearby: the bladder, urethra (the tube through which urine leaves the body), and the rectum. The male urethra also carries sperm and seminal fl uids during ejaculation. Having advanced prostate cancer means that

the cancer has spread from outside the prostate,

to other parts of the body. Your cancer is not

Prostate cancer can

the bones and lymph nodes. A bone scan can

help show whether your cancer has spread to

the bones. other tests such as x-rays, CT (Computerised Tomography) scans or MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans to find out if your prostate cancer has spread.