Prostate cancer ranks as the second most common type of cancer that affects men. The early stage of prostate cancer is mostly asymptomatic and its diagnosis is usually based on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. It is then followed by transrectal ultrasound that is guided by biopsy, a digital rectal exam, or both.
The stage of prostate cancer is among the aspects that determine the method that could be used to treat it. The staging of prostate cancer is done based on the extent of cancer, the PSA level, and the Gleason score detected during diagnosis. The early stages of prostate cancer are two: Stage I and Stage II.
Stage I of prostate cancer means that the cancer cells are small and haven't grown outside the prostate gland. This also means that they have low PSA levels and Gleason score. Additionally, their growth rate is quite slow and may not even cause any health issue or have noticeable symptoms.
Active surveillance is often recommended at this stage for people who have cancer symptoms, are elderly, or have existing serious health issues that may restrict their lifespan. If one wants to begin treatment right away, however, radiation therapy or radical prostatectomy are the available options.
If you are younger and healthy, you will require active surveillance after being diagnosed with stage I cancer because you will need treatment in the future. Radiation therapy and radical prostatectomy are the available options for you too.
Stage II prostate cancer is yet to extend its growth to adjacent cells even though the cancer cells are large and have a higher Gleason score and PSA levels as compared to stage I. Unlike stage I cancer, stage II cancer is not treated by either surgery or radiation therapies. Additionally, it is more likely to spread to nearby cells, have noticeable symptoms, and cause health problems.
Just like stage I cancer, active surveillance is a great option for anyone who is yet to feel any symptom, is elderly, or has other severe existing health issues. Moreover, radiation therapy and radical prostatectomy may be great options too. To know more what oncologists have to say on prostate cancer you can click here.
Younger men who are also healthy have the following treatment options:
● Radical prostatectomy – entails the removal of pelvic lymph nodes. It may be accompanied by external beam radiation in case cancer has spread to adjacent cells by the time of surgery or when the PSA is still noticeable a few months after the surgical operation.
● Brachytherapy only
● External beam radiation only
● A combination of external beam radiation and brachytherapy
● A clinical trial of new treatment options
Any of the above radiation options may be integrated with a long period of hormone therapy whenever there is a greater probability of cancer reoccurring later based on the Gleason score or PSA level.
Pinpointing prostate cancer has greatly improved in recent years, and technological advancements are pushing the science even further to enable clinicians to diagnose prostate cancer faster and in its earliest stages. This will enable patients to start treatment as early as possible in order to manage its spreading.
Moreover, the development of the SmartTarget system aims at equipping surgeons with important information regarding the size, shape, and the location of cancerous tumours during a biopsy, information that can be invisible on ultrasound images. Basically, the SmartTarget system gives physicians a clear target and makes prostate cancer diagnosis more accurate.
The bottom line is that pinpointing and managing prostate cancer at its early stages can help mitigate its spreading rate to other cells and organs. Most importantly, it ensures that the affected person is open to a wider range of treatment options.
