Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in men. About one in eight men will be diagnosed over their lifetime with prostate cancer, as per the American Cancer Society. When caught early, prostate cancer is highly survivable.
Here are some things to know about prostate cancer that has spread.
What is the prostate gland?
The prostate is part of the reproductive system in men. It makes fluid for semen. It's located below the bladder and it wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine and semen out through the penis.
Outcomes have improved in recent decades and patients can expect to live with metastatic prostate cancer for four or five years, said Dr Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center.
“It's very treatable, but not curable,” Smith said.
Also Read: Joe Biden diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer at 82
What are the treatment options?
Prostate cancer can be treated with drugs that lower levels of hormones in the body or stop them from getting into prostate cancer cells. The drugs can slow down the growth of cancer cells.
“Most men in this situation would be treated with drugs and would not be advised to have either surgery or radiation therapy," Smith said.
What is a Gleason score?
Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness using what's known as a Gleason score. The scores range from 6 to 10, with 8, 9, and 10 prostate cancers behaving more aggressively.
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