Metastatic prostate cancer occurs when a case of prostate cancer advances and develops the ability to invade other tissues. One of the difficulties of a prognosis for prostate cancer is that there are a lot of variables that can affect the rates of recurrence and survival time. As a result, many oncologists have worked to create better ways of estimating the prognosis for different patients based on characteristics of their cancer.
Partin Tables
This is one of the best ways of determining the prognosis for prostate cancer, but organ-confined and metastatic. The Partin tables make predictions based on cancer grade, Gleason score and PSA levels.
PSA Levels
PSA is short for prostate specific antigen, a protein that can be detected in the blood. It is often used to diagnose and measure the progress of prostate cancer.
Gleason Score
The Gleason score is a number that is based on how prostate cancer looks microscopically. The Gleason score measures the pattern of tumor cells from a tissue sample.
Cancer Grade
Prostate cancer can also be graded according to the extent of tissue invasion. Stage I is confined only to the prostate, whereas Stage IV has advanced metastases.
Location of Metastases
Another factor that plays a huge role in the prognosis of metastatic prostate cancer is the location of the metastases. Metastases that have appeared on sensitive and vital organs (such as the heart or brain) are much more serious than lymphatic metastases.
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