Prostate Cancer: How Each Stage Develops | Blog | BASS Medical Group

The evaluation of cancer's stage considers several variables, including the cancer's location, whether it has spread or metastasized, and how much it is obstructing regular bodily functions.

If you have prostate cancer, your doctors will start the process of evaluating several criteria to establish your stage. They can then offer the best therapies for you based on this information.

Stages of Cancer Prostate

Before going into the states it’s important to note prostate cancer staging involves 4 important factors:

1. Your PSA score
2. How advanced your tumor is
3. Your tumor's stage, also known as the T-stage for a prostate tumor
4. Whether cancer has metastasized, or spread, to bones or other organs, referred to as the "M-stage" for metastasis, lymph nodes, or both.

Here are the 4 prostate cancer stages:

Stage 1

The earliest stage of prostate cancer is stage 1. Small and localized, the prostate gland is the only site of cancer at this stage. It is identified by a grade group score of 1, a PSA of less than 10 ng/mL, and a Gleason score of 6.

The 5-year survival rate for stage 1 prostate cancer is virtually 100%.

Stage 2

The tumor is still restricted to your prostate at stage 2 and hasn't moved to your lymph nodes or other organs. During a prostate exam, a doctor may or may not be able to feel the tumor, and it may be visible on ultrasound images. Still, the survival rate is quite close to 100%.

For stage 2, the PSA score is less than 20 ng/mL.

Stage 3

At stage 3, the prostate cancer cells may or may not have migrated to other tissues. Prostate cancer that hasn't metastasized to other regions of your body nevertheless has a survival percentage of very nearly 100%.

Similar to stage 2, stage 3 prostate cancer is divided into subgroups denoted by three letters.

• Phase 3A - Cancer has not yet spread to other lymph nodes or organs except your prostate at this stage.
• Phase 3B - At this point, cancer has gone outside of your prostate and might have affected nearby tissue like your seminal vesicles. It hasn't spread to the body's lymph nodes or other regions.
• Phase 3C - The disease may have spread to surrounding organs or lymph nodes in addition to your prostate.

Stage 4

The most advanced prostate cancer stage, designated by two letter groups, is stage 4. Any grade group, PSA number, and Gleason score are acceptable for stage 4 prostate cancer.

Cancer has often spread to distant areas of your body at stage 4. The 5-year survival rate falls to roughly 30% if it has spread to other organs. dependable source

Treatment in Prostate Cancer Stages

Stage 1 Treatment

Almost all patients with a Gleason score of 6 should be managed with active monitoring, except those who have extremely high-volume disease and those who are reluctant or unable to have repeated biopsies. Monitoring cancer over time to determine whether more therapy is necessary is known as active surveillance.

Stage 2 Treatment

Stage 2 treatment options consist of:

• Taking out your prostate and perhaps some nearby lymph nodes
• In certain individuals, hormone treatment is coupled with radiation therapy.
• For certain individuals, radiation treatment may be administered via an external beam or brachytherapy.

Stage 3 Treatment

Stage 3 treatment options consist of:

• Hormone treatment in addition to external radiation
• Hormone treatment in addition to radiation
• Radical prostatectomy, frequently accompanied by pelvic lymph node removal;
• Following radiotherapy, hormone treatment or both may be used.

Due to the danger of disease progression in stage 3 illness, active monitoring is often not an option.

Stage 4 Treatment

Currently available treatments include:

• Hormone treatment
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation from an external beam that targets the bones
• Prostate surgery or removal

Takeaway

Cancer is more progressed at later stages of prostate cancer than at earlier ones. Your doctor can choose the optimal course of therapy for you by taking into account the stage at which your cancer is.

When prostate cancer is detected early, you have a very high chance of survival. Regular screening appointments with your doctor are essential for identifying prostate cancer in its early stages.

When you get a prostate cancer diagnosis, Bass Medical Group will work with you and your healthcare team to provide skilled care utilizing the most recent procedures and tools. We concentrate on therapies that have few side effects and have superior results, allowing you to resume your life more quickly.