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Metastases in cancer of the prostate gland

In local forms of cancer, when there are no metastases, prostate cancer responds well to treatment. A surgical cure is possible only at early stages. The forecast is favorable.

Where get metastases?

Metastases in prostate cancer appear already in the 3rd stage (the tumor goes outside the prostate seminal vesicles). On the 4th stage, the tumor extends to the bladder, the rectum. The greatest danger of prostate cancer – the spread of metastases to the liver, adrenal glands, and lungs. In this case, they are difficult to get rid of. Metastases in internal organs have a serious negative impact on health and quality of life of such a patient.

metastazyMetastases spreading lymphogenous way, can occur in the pelvic and retroperitoneal lymph nodes. The first cancer outside the prostate affects the lymph nodes located on either side of the bladder neck.

If the metastasis has spread beyond the prostate: during internal organs or bones, it is only symptomatic (palliative) treatment. The aim of such treatment is to arrest the symptoms, which is causing widespread cancer.

Metastasis of prostate cancer in the bones can cause considerable pain in the lower extremities and back. However, it is easily relieved by pain drugs. Bone metastases in prostate cancer usually appear in the lumbosacral spine and the pelvis.

Metastatic prostate cancer has such a feature that, when the development for a long time may not experience any symptoms. In this case, to detect the presence of cancer is only possible with regular prostate examinations, that must be all men older than 50 years. For the detection of metastases is used in CT and MRI, excretory urography, x-ray examination.

Treatments

In the later stages of prostate cancer apply the following treatment methods:

  • chemotherapy;
  • hormones;
  • irradiation of the prostate and regional lymph nodes.

himioterapiyaIn the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer apply gentle chemotherapy regimens and hormonal agents. Medication drugs and chemotherapeutic agents aimed at controlling recurrent process. However, chemotherapy causes many side effects such as indigestion, hair loss, weakening of the immune system. Hormonal therapy blocks the effects of testosterone on prostate cells, thereby reducing the rate of growth of the cancer and its metastases.

The main treatment of remote metastases is radiation therapy. The radiation destroys the malignant cells, facilitating the patient's condition. Also metastases in the bones must be maintained in the body the required level of vitamin D and calcium to keep bones strong and avoid fractures. For the same purpose used. (they slow down the leaching of calcium from the bones) and aleroeva acid.

Another method of treatment of bone metastases is the introduction of non-radioactive substances, which are spread by the blood and deposited in the metastases, while irradiating the malignant cells.

Prostate cancer progresses quite slowly. So, thanks to modern methods of treatment of prostate cancer, can achieve a long lifetime even in patients with 3rd and 4th stages of cancer.