What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

Written by Zhou Zi Hua
Oncology
Updated on September 19, 2024
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Early-stage prostate cancer generally has no symptoms, but if the patient also has prostate enlargement, or in cases of mid to late-stage prostate cancer where the tumor invades the urethra or bladder, various degrees of urinary obstruction or irritative urinary symptoms may occur. This is characterized by frequent urination and urgency. If there are local infiltrative symptoms, perineal pain and sciatica might occur. If the vas deferens is compressed, it can cause back pain and pain in the testicles on the affected side. Invasion of the rectum can cause difficulty in defecation or obstruction of the colon, and if the membranous part of the urethra is involved, urinary incontinence may occur. The most common site of metastasis for prostate cancer is the bones. If it spreads to the bones, it can cause bone pain, pathological fractures, anemia, and spinal cord compression leading to paralysis of the lower limbs.

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Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
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How to treat bone metastasis in advanced prostate cancer?

For cases of advanced prostate cancer with bone metastasis, the following clinical treatment measures can be taken: Firstly, for the pain caused by bone metastatic lesions, symptomatic pain relief treatment should be administered with medication. The pain from bone metastatic lesions generally presents as moderate to severe, and medications usually involve weak or strong opioids for pain relief. For some patients with advanced bone metastases, pathological fractures may occur, necessitating treatments such as bone stabilization and bone cement. For some patients with advanced bone metastasis from prostate cancer, monthly injections of zoledronic acid can also be administered to treat the bone metastases. When prostate cancer has metastasized to the bone, it indicates that the disease is at an advanced stage, and the opportunity for curative surgery is lost. In most cases, treatments such as targeted therapy and endocrine therapy are adopted as conservative medical approaches.

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Prostate cancer radiotherapy is conducted in what way?

Indications for radiation therapy for prostate cancer include clinical stages T1 to T4, M0 to M1. M0-stage prostate cancer patients undergo radiation therapy techniques including external beam radiation and brachytherapy. External beam radiation techniques comprise conventional radiation therapy, three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy, and intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Permanent seed implantation is used only for the treatment of early-stage localized prostate cancer with a good prognosis. External radiation therapy is divided into three categories based on therapeutic objectives: curative, adjuvant, and palliative radiation therapy.

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Written by Zhou Zi Hua
Oncology
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Pathological classification of prostate cancer

The classification of precancerous lesions of prostate cancer is divided into two categories: intraductal carcinoma of the prostate and atypical adenomatous hyperplasia. Among these, the relationship between intraductal carcinoma of the prostate and prostate cancer is the closest. Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate is currently recognized as a precancerous lesion of prostate cancer, while atypical adenomatous hyperplasia has not been proven to be a precancerous lesion of prostate cancer according to current evidence. However, the biological behavior of this atypical adenomatous hyperplasia is not very clear yet, so it should be closely monitored. The histological classification of prostate cancer mainly includes the majority of acinar adenocarcinoma and a small amount of ductal adenocarcinoma, with acinar adenocarcinoma being a highly invasive malignant tumor.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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How is prostate cancer treated?

The treatment principles of prostate cancer vary with different stages. For clinical stage T1-T2N0M0 prostate cancer, which is early-stage, patients can choose radical prostatectomy or radical radiotherapy. For patients with locally advanced prostate cancer, specifically staged T3 or T4 but without lymph node or distant metastasis, options include radiotherapy combined with hormonal therapy or solely hormonal therapy. For patients with distant metastasis, which indicates advanced-stage prostate cancer, treatment primarily involves hormonal therapy. If hormonal therapy fails, chemotherapy may be utilized. Additionally, for pain caused by bone metastasis, local radiotherapy or radionuclide therapy can be integrated into the comprehensive treatment approach.

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Written by Liu Liang
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What causes prostate cancer?

The causes of prostate cancer are not yet very clear. Its occurrence may be related to gonorrhea of the prostate, or viral and chlamydial infections of the prostate, as well as the intensity of sexual activity and the influence of hormones, which may have some connection to the development of prostate cancer. Additionally, a high-fat diet and some occupational factors, such as excessive exposure to chromium, may also be related to the onset of prostate cancer.