Prostate Cancer

What are the stages of prostate cancer ? _{Prostate cancer has four stages, Stage 1 and 2 are cancers that are confined to the prostate, Stage 3 could be divided to 3a which is abutting the capsule of the prostate and 3b which is invading the seminal vesicles. Stage 4 is invading bladder or pelvic side walls.}

Is prostate Cancer deadly? _{No, most cases of prostate cancer are not life threatening and could be monitored or cured. However, there are aggressive types of prostate cancer that has the potential to spread outside the prostate and become life-threatening if not detected early. The latter emphasizes the importance of early detection especially in cases where there is a family history or risk factors for prostate cancer.}

What are the treatment options for prostate cancer? _{There are multiple treatment options for prostate cancer, depending on the stage of the disease, the performance status of the patient and the patient wishes. For organ confined prostate cancer, surveillance, surgery, or radiotherapy are options. Surveillance is mainly offered for Grade 1 prostate cancer and selected cases of Grade 2 prostate cancer, whereas Surgery and radiotherapy could be offered for all stages of organ confined prostate cancer. However, evidence from the literature suggests that active surveillance is the preferred option for Grade 1 prostate cancer, as the latter rarely progresses or metastasises with safety data ranging for up to 15 years from the Canadian Klotz series. If prostate cancer spreads outside the prostate, to either lymph glands or bones, the cancer can be harder to cure and treatment is often focused on halting the progression of the disease with hormone treatment or chemotherapy.}