Understanding Advanced Prostate Cancer
Advanced prostate cancer refers to cancer that has spread beyond the prostate, commonly categorized as Stage III or Stage IV. It can be difficult to face a diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer, but learning about the disease can empower you to make informed decisions.
The stages of advanced prostate cancer include:
- Locally Advanced: The cancer has spread beyond the outer layer of the prostate into nearby tissues like lymph nodes or seminal vesicles. This stage, known as Stage III, is non-metastatic.
- Metastatic: The cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as bones, lungs, or liver, and is classified as Stage IV.
Understanding whether your cancer is responding to hormone therapy is also crucial. Advanced prostate cancer may be further categorized as:
- Non-metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (nmHSPC): Cancer still responds to hormone therapy with no detectable metastases on imaging.
- Metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC): Cancer has spread but still responds to hormone therapy.
- Non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC): Cancer no longer responds to hormone therapy but has not spread.
- Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC): Cancer no longer responds to hormone therapy and has spread to other areas.
Although there is no cure for metastatic prostate cancer, new treatments offer hope by managing the disease and slowing its progression, allowing for a better quality of life.
The Importance of Imaging in Advanced Prostate Cancer
Imaging is crucial for detecting whether prostate cancer has spread. Recent advancements, such as the PSMA PET scan, help identify even small amounts of cancer cells outside the prostate. These developments are enhancing:
- Prognosis assessment
- Monitoring the effectiveness of treatments
- Making informed treatment decisions
Learning about how imaging can provide additional insights will help you and your doctor navigate the best treatment path.