Steps to Tackle Stage 4 Prostate Cancer

While the first 3 stages of prostate cancer offer a high rate of success in beating back the disease, stage 4 prostate cancer needs to be tackled on all fronts as the cancer would have spread considerably. There are various treatments that could be tried to bring back the patient from the brink or at least alleviate the pain and discomfort if there is no hope for recovery.

What is stage 4?

This type of cancer starts from the prostate gland but if detected late or if various treatments fail to stop its growth then it could start affecting neighboring organs such as the rectum, testicles, etc in the first 3 stages. However, if the cancer spreads to various vital organs such as the liver, lungs or bones then this is known as metastatic or stage 4 prostate cancer and the chances of recovery will now be stacked against the patient. Treatment will require several therapies that will need to be aggressively administered on a war footing, if not to cure then at least to slow down the growth of the cancer and to lessen the associated pain.

Treatment for this Stage of Cancer

If a patient has reached stage 4 prostate cancer after passing through the other 3 stages then he would probably have tried surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, etc without much success. In such a case therapies such as Androgen Deprivation Therapy or ADT could try to shrink the prostate gland and slow down the growth of cancer. However, this treatment is controversial due to the difference of opinion amongst doctors; some doctors claim that this is not a cure but only a means to delay further growth of cancerous cells. Secondary hormone treatment too could be tried by changing the hormone suppressors that might have been tried previously so as to boost chances of success. Patients might also have to go in for aggressive chemotherapy in a desperate bid to destroy cancer cells that might have spread to various organs. Chemotherapy also includes drugs that can reduce pain and discomfort, especially in patients that might not have a chance of bouncing back.

For patients that do not respond to any therapy or combination of therapies, doctors might suggest that they partake in clinical trials where new drugs or treatments can be tested on them. This could be their last chance to fight the disease and also help researchers to perfect the therapy for use in future patients suffering from stage 4 prostate cancer.

Future steps for survivors of this stage of cancer

If a patient has successfully beat back prostate cancer then he might still need to go in for regular checkups since some cancers are known to return after a lull. Certain drugs might also be needed to be consumed regularly by the patient to prevent the cancer from returning and also to provide vital vitamins or nutrients that the patient might have lost during treatment.

Although the odds of beating stage four cancer are low, it is definitely possible to emerge out of the shadow of cancer, albeit with some collateral damage to certain organs. However, patients should not lose hope and try various therapies to beat the cancer and reclaim their lives.

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Prostate Cancer – Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment and Prognosis

Prostatic cancer is the most common cancer in men over the age of fifty.

Adenocarcinoma is the most common form.

Prostate cancers seldom produce symptoms until the cancer is in the advanced stage so early diagnosis is essential as in the early stages the disease is curable.

Location and Function

The Prostate is an organ forming part of the male reproductive system. It is located immediately below the bladder and just in front of the bowel. Its main function is to produce fluid which protects and enriches sperm.

In younger men the prostate is about the size of a walnut. It is doughnut shaped as it surrounds the beginning of the urethra, the tube that conveys urine from the bladder to the penis. The nerves that control erections surround the prostate.

Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

• Waking frequently at night to urinate

• Sudden or urgent need to urinate

• Difficulty in starting to urinate

• Slow flow of urine and difficulty in stopping

• Discomfort when urinating

• Painful ejaculation

• Blood in the urine or semen

• Decrease in libido (sex urge)

• Reduced ability to get an erection

Most men tend to accept the onset of one or more of these symptoms as being a natural consequence of ageing. However, anyone experiencing any of the above symptoms is advised to consult a doctor without delay. Early expert diagnosis and treatment of tumors is important and may avert potentially serious health consequences.

Prostate carcinoma is usually one of the slower growing cancers. In the past, it was most frequently encountered in men over 70, and many of those men died of other causes before their prostate tumour could kill them. This led to the old saying “most men die with, not of, prostrate cancer”.

However, that is certainly is not true today. Three developments have changed things considerably:

• Men are living longer, giving the cancer more time to spread beyond the prostate, with potentially fatal consequences.

• More men in their early sixties, fifties and even forties are being detected with prostate cancer. Earlier on-set, combined with the greater male life expectancy, means those cancers have more time to spread and become life-threatening unless diagnosed and treated.

• Prostate cancer in younger men often tends to be more aggressive and hence more life-threatening within a shorter time.

Risk Factors and PSA Testing

Risk factors for prostate cancer include diets high in fat and low in vegetables. Risk factors include; age, 75% of cases are in men over 65 years and familial sufferers. Prostate cancer is most often discovered by physical examination or by screening blood tests, such as the PSA (prostate specific antigen) test.

The PSA test measures the blood level of prostate-specific antigen, an enzyme produced by the prostate. The risk of prostate cancer increases with increasing PSA levels.

The majority of men who reach age 85, in fact, have cancerous prostate cells, but the disease is developing so gradually that it never threatens their quality of life.

Genetic factors play a role, particularly for families in whom the diagnosis is made in men under 60 years of age, and the risk of prostate cancer rises with the number of close relatives who have the disease.

Preventative measures

Researchers at Harvard University found that men who ate cooked tomatoes or foods made with them (tomato sauce or ketchup, for instance) more than twice a week were less likely to develop prostate cancer.

Daily use of anti-inflammatory medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen may decrease prostate cancer risk.

Frequent ejaculations also seem to have a definite protective effect against Prostrate cancer.

Many prostate cancers are not destined to be lethal, and most men will ultimately die from causes other than of the disease. Because many prostate tumors are slow growing, survival rates are excellent when the disease is detected in its early stages.

Treatment Options for Prostate Cancer

The most appropriate treatment is primarily determined by the stage and aggressiveness (how quickly it is growing and spreading) of the disease when it is discovered. Detecting prostate cancer early is the key to beating the disease.

Many factors affect the decision whether or not to treat the disease: the patient’s age, whether the cancer has spread, the presence of other medical conditions, and the patient’s overall health.

Treatment for prostate cancer may involve watchful waiting, surgery, radiation therapy including brachytherapy and external beam radiation, High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), chemotherapy, cryosurgery, hormonal therapy, or some combination.

Because all treatments can have significant side effects, such as erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence, treatment discussions often focus on balancing the goals of therapy with the risks of lifestyle alterations. Natural treatments for prostate cancer symptoms are also worth looking at.

About the Author:Dick Aronson has been involved in the healthcare industry for 35 years. He has written numerous articles on the subject and runs a number of informative websites, viz: rel="nofollow" href="http://www.cancerinformation-online.com/">Go to Cancer Information-online , rel="nofollow" href="http://www.Prostateinformation-online.com/">Go to Prostate Cancer Information and rel="nofollow" href="http://www.healthinnovationsonline.com/">Go to Health Innovations
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Prostate Cancer – Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment and Prognosis
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