Diagnose Stage 3 Prostate Cancer With Extensive Testing

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Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer for males in America. While it is most often a very slow growing form of cancer, it is very important to have regular check-ups. Many men will not experience symptoms until the cancer has either enlarged the prostate so much that it interferes with normal urinary functions, or it is spread to other parts of the body.

Knowing prostate cancer stages informs the patient and the doctor of the prognosis and the best treatment options. There are four different stages of prostate cancer. In stage 1, the cancer is found in the prostate only and is microscope. Stage 2 means the prostate has enlarged, but the cancer is still contained. In stage 3 prostate cancer, the cancer has spread a bit outside of the prostate. Usually, the next place it goes to is nearby tissue. Stage 4 means that the cancer has spread well outside prostate and may go into lymph nodes and the bones.

Prostate cancer stages can be determined through a number of different tests. There is a rectal exam that can be performed by the doctor to manually feel if the prostate has become enlarged. There is a ...
... blood test that can look for prostate cancer. MRIs, ultrasounds and CT scans can also be utilized. If it looks like the prostate is enlarged, a biopsy may be recommended to figure out exactly what is going on. For diagnosis of stage 3 prostate cancer, it needs to be determined whether or not the cancer has spread beyond the prostate.

There are treatment options for stage 3 prostate cancer, but these focus on controlling the cancer, not curing it. Men are often treated with a combination of treatments. This may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy. A lot depends on other factors, such as the age of the man and if there are other illnesses that are being dealt with at the same time. In an older man, it may be determined that surgery is too risky of an option. Also, surgery may not be able to remove all of the cancer. The goal would be to remove as much of the tumor as possible. This means, that even with surgery, another method would need to be utilized to control the cancer that cannot be removed.

The Prostate Cancer Research Institute is a charitable institution that is intended to improve the quality of men’s lives by supporting the research and disseminating information signs and symptoms of prostate cancer. It also helps to create awareness and empowers patients, families and the medical community.