How long can one live after prostate cancer has spread to the bones?

Written by Zhou Zi Hua

Oncology

Updated on September 17, 2024

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Bone metastasis is the most common site of metastasis for prostate cancer. If a patient with prostate cancer develops bone metastasis, it means that the cancer is no longer in its early stages and has progressed to a more advanced stage. However, unlike other cancers with a higher degree of malignancy, if the tumor is highly sensitive to hormone therapy, with standardized treatment, the patient's survival time can be significantly extended.

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Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

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Is prostate cancer prone to metastasis?

Prostate cancer most commonly metastasizes to bones, with multiple bone metastases frequently observed clinically. In fact, the majority of prostate cancer patients already have multiple bone metastases by the time they are diagnosed. Therefore, bone is the most common distant organ to which prostate cancer spreads. Other distant organ metastases, such as to the lungs and liver, are less common, unless in very advanced stages of the disease. Additionally, prostate cancer commonly invades locally, spreading to nearby pelvic structures and tissues, such as the bladder and rectum, which is a common form of local invasion and spread.

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Written by Zhou Zi Hua

Oncology

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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 Cui Fang Bo

Oncology

38sec

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Prostate cancer IV is stage 4.

Prostate cancer stage IV refers to stage four prostate cancer, which is a common type of male reproductive organ tumor, particularly prevalent among elderly men. Stage four prostate cancer means that the tumor is not confined to the prostate and has already shown corresponding distant metastasis. The most common sites of metastasis for prostate cancer are the bones, followed by the lungs, liver, and others. When metastasis of prostate cancer occurs, it is considered to be at a late stage, and the primary treatments include endocrine therapy, chemotherapy, etc., with a poor prognosis.

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Written by Zhou Zi Hua

Oncology

57sec

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Commonly used drugs for endocrine treatment of prostate cancer

The purpose of endocrine therapy for prostate cancer is to reduce the concentration of androgens in the body, inhibit the synthesis of androgens originating from the adrenal glands, inhibit the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, or block the binding of androgens to their receptors, thereby inhibiting or controlling the growth of prostate cancer cells. The medications include a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue, with representative drugs being leuprorelin, goserelin, and triptorelin. There is also an androgen-blocking drug, including steroidal drugs with representative drugs like cyproterone acetate, and non-steroidal drugs with representative drugs like bicalutamide and flutamide. Additionally, there are estrogens, with the most common being diethylstilbestrol.

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Written by Zhou Zi Hua

Oncology

34sec

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How is prostate cancer detected?

Digital rectal examination combined with PSA testing is currently recognized as the best screening method for the early detection of prostate cancer. Currently, systematic prostate needle biopsy is the most reliable method for diagnosing prostate cancer. In addition, prostate cancer MRI plays an important role in clinical staging. There is also a whole-body nuclear bone marrow scan that can detect the most common metastatic sites of prostate cancer, including bone metastases.