Late-stage prostate cancer with bone metastases: how long can one survive?

Written by Zhou Zi Hua

Oncology

Updated on September 23, 2024

00:00

00:00

Bone metastasis is the most common site of metastasis for prostate cancer. If prostate cancer has metastasized to the bones, it means it is not in its early stages but has entered the advanced stages. However, this type of tumor is not like others with a higher degree of malignancy. If it has a good sensitivity to hormone therapy, after our standardized treatment, the survival time can still be quite long.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

55sec

home-news-image

Is prostate cancer radiotherapy painful?

Prostate cancer radiotherapy involves high doses of radiation, which typically results in related side effects. However, the severity of these side effects varies from patient to patient depending on individual factors such as their physical constitution. Therefore, clinically, some patients may experience severe symptoms, while others may have milder symptoms, indicating significant individual differences. Common side effects of radiotherapy include radiation cystitis, characterized by frequent urination, urgency, and possibly hematuria. Radiation proctitis is also common, presenting symptoms such as a sensation of heaviness around the anus and diarrhea. Additionally, bone marrow suppression, manifesting as a decrease in white blood cells and platelets, is another side effect.

home-news-image

Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

59sec

home-news-image

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.

home-news-image

Written by Zhou Zi Hua

Oncology

51sec

home-news-image

Endocrine therapy after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer

Endocrine therapy after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer is equivalent to adjuvant endocrine therapy for prostate cancer. Its purpose is to treat residual lesions, positive residual lymph nodes, and microscopic metastatic foci, thereby improving long-term survival rates. Currently, the indications for adjuvant endocrine therapy are based on postoperative pathology-positive results, positive lymph nodes post-surgery, and postoperative pathology confirmation of stage T3 or T4, but with high-risk factors. According to major guidelines, the duration of adjuvant endocrine therapy should be at least eighteen months.

home-news-image

Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

50sec

home-news-image

Can prostate cancer be detected by color ultrasound?

Ultrasound is also a method for screening prostate cancer, but it is generally combined with Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) for a comprehensive consideration in prostate cancer screening. If prostate nodules are found during a prostate color Doppler ultrasound, the differentiation between prostate cancer and benign prostatic nodules can be aided by the variations in internal echoes, but this is only a reference and cannot be 100% certain. Thus, in clinical practice, it is also combined with PSA for a comprehensive evaluation. Generally, a PSA greater than 10 suggests a higher likelihood of malignancy. The diagnosis of prostate cancer requires a biopsy to confirm the pathology.

home-news-image

Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

56sec

home-news-image

What indicators are checked for prostate cancer?

Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) is a glycoprotein produced by the vesicles in the cytoplasm of normal or pre-cancerous epithelial cells of the prostate. It is the most specific and sensitive tumor marker for prostate cancer. Therefore, in patients with prostate cancer, we generally conduct blood tests for PSA, especially in screening for prostate cancer, assessing the effectiveness of treatments, and for the prognosis of prostate patients, among other aspects. Additionally, other examinations are combined, such as digital rectal exams, which can also serve as a screening method for prostate cancer. Moreover, CT or MRI scans of the prostate and pelvis, as well as ultrasound examinations of the prostate, can be used in conjunction with the tumor marker PSA for a comprehensive evaluation.