About advanced prostate cancer

ON THIS PAGE

Getting Your Diagnosis

You probably weren’t prepared to hear the words, “You have advanced prostate cancer,” but you’re not alone. Prostate cancer is very common, and it’s one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in American men.¹

See below to learn more about the different types of prostate cancer, but as always, talk with your care team if you have questions about your own condition.

Prostate Cancer Defined

The prostate is part of the male reproductive system and produces fluid that makes up a part of semen.²

Prostate cancer occurs when abnormal cells within the prostate gland grow out of control.²

Testosterone plays an integral role in the growth and management of prostate cancer.³

There are several types of prostate cancer:^*

Local/Localized

Local prostate cancer is a group of cells that grows faster than normal within a man's prostate gland, which sits just below the bladder.⁴

Of men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer, 70% are diagnosed with localized prostate cancer.⁵

Locally Advanced/Regional^*

Locally advanced prostate cancer is when the cancer cells have grown through the outer rim of the prostate and into nearby tissue.⁶

Of men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer, 13% are diagnosed with regional prostate cancer.⁵

Metastatic/Distant^*

Metastatic prostate cancer is when the prostate cancer spreads, or metastasizes, to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body.⁶

Of men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer, 8% are diagnosed with distant prostate cancer.⁵

Recurrent^*

Recurrent prostate cancer is when prostate cancer comes back after it was treated. The cancer can come back in or near the prostate, or in another part of the body.⁶

*Regional, distant, and recurrent prostate cancer may be considered advanced prostate cancerAdvanced prostate cancer
A tumor that has spread outside of the prostate to other areas of your body is considered to be advanced prostate cancer. Your doctor will perform tests in order to confirm that you have advanced prostate cancer. Men with advanced prostate cancer may have no symptoms.⁷.⁷

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced prostate cancer.^6,8

Who Is at Risk?

All men are at risk for prostate cancer, and about 1 in 8 men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime. Of those developing prostate cancer, approximately 21% will be diagnosed with advanced prostate cancerAdvanced prostate cancer
A tumor that has spread outside of the prostate to other areas of your body is considered to be advanced prostate cancer. Your doctor will perform tests in order to confirm that you have advanced prostate cancer. Men with advanced prostate cancer may have no symptoms.⁷.^5,9

Age is the most common risk factor, and the older you are, the greater the risk of developing prostate cancer. Men aged 50 and over who are at average risk of prostate cancer and have a life expectancy of at least 10 years should¹⁰:

Receive information about the potential benefits and known limitations of testing for early prostate cancer detection
Be given the opportunity to make an informed decision about testing

Black American men

Black American men are nearly 2x more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer compared with White American men¹¹
The death rate from prostate cancer in Black American men is twice as high as in White American men¹¹
Black American men should be given information about prostate cancer screening, so that they can have discussions with their doctors at an earlier age than other men (45 vs 50 years old)¹⁰

Men with a family history of prostate cancer may be at higher risk, so it’s important to talk to your doctor about your family’s health history.¹²

The Role of Testosterone and Prostate-Specific Antigens (PSA)

TestosteroneTestosterone
A male sex hormone produced primarily by the testicles that is important in male physical and sexual function and development.³ is a key hormoneHormone
A chemical substance the body produces to regulate the growth and functioning of certain cells and organs.³ in men and is part of the normal growth and function of the prostate gland.³

In men who have prostate cancer, testosterone can help certain prostate cancer cells multiply. As a result, as long as the body produces testosterone, prostate cancer is likely to continue to grow and possibly spread.³

Advanced Prostate Cancer Treatment Options

You and your doctor will work together to decide on a treatment plan that works best for you by considering your age, the stage of your disease, any other medical conditions, and your doctor’s recommendation.¹⁵

Treatment options can include¹⁵:

Surgery
Radiation therapy
Cryotherapy

Robotic surgery
Chemotherapy
ADT

What is ADT?

ADT, Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)
Androgen deprivation therapy, also called ADT, uses surgery or medicines to lower the levels of male hormones called androgens (including testosterone), which are made in the testicles and fuel the prostate cancer cells’ growth.¹⁶ the abbreviation for androgen deprivation therapy, is a form of hormone therapy that seeks to reduce the level of male hormones (called androgens) in the body, which fuel prostate cancer cells to grow.¹⁶

What is ADT?

ADT, Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)Androgen deprivation therapy, also called ADT, uses surgery or medicines to lower the levels of male hormones, called androgens (including testosterone), made in the testicles from fueling the prostate cancer cells’ growth. the abbreviation for androgen deprivation therapy, is a form of hormone therapy that seeks to reduce the level of male hormones (called androgens) in the body, which fuel prostate cancer cells to grow.¹⁶

A doctor may prescribe hormone therapy for advanced prostate cancer¹⁶:

If the cancer has spread too far to be cured by surgery or radiation, or if you can’t have these treatments for some other reason
If the cancer remains or comes back after treatment with surgery or radiation therapy
Along with radiation therapy as the initial treatment if you are at higher risk of the cancer back after treatment (based on a high Gleason Score,Gleason Score¹⁷

The Gleason Score ranges from 1 to 5 and describes how much the cancer from a biopsy looks like healthy tissue (lower score) or abnormal tissue (higher score).

Since prostate tumors are often made up of cancerous cells that have different grades, 2 grades are assigned for each patient. A primary grade is given to describe the cells that make up the largest area of the tumor, and a secondary grade is given to describe the cells of the next largest area.

For instance, if the Gleason Score is written as 3+4=7, it means most of the tumor is Grade 3 and the next largest section of the tumor is Grade 4. Together they make up the total Gleason Score.

Typical Gleason Scores range from 6 to 10. The higher the Gleason Score, the more likely that the cancer will grow and spread quickly. high PSA level, and/or growth of the cancer outside the prostate)
Before radiation, to try and make treatment more effective