|  | Cancer | Prostate Cancer

Stage IV of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, and it's a common enough threat that millions of men undergo routine checks, hoping that if they do develop prostate cancer, they catch it early on--well before it reaches the dangerous and often times incurable Stage IV.

  1. Symptoms

    • If you are a male with prostate cancer, there are a number of symptoms to alert you. Early problems include trouble urinating, including unreliable and depressurized stream. But as the cancer progresses, so do the complications: you may experience blood in your urine or blood in your semen. If the cancer has spread to other parts of your body, as would be the case in Stage IV, you may experience swollen legs, pelvic pain or discomfort, bone pain and even potential bone breaks.

    Significance

    • Stage IV is the most dire grade of prostate cancer, indicating that the cancer has spread to other organs. Some doctors consider this stage incurable, but about 30 percent of patients diagnosed with Stage IV prostate cancer live for five years or more. According to CancerHelp.org, somewhere between 20 to 30 percent of males diagnosed with prostate cancer are already in Stage IV.

    Treatment

    • Hormonal therapy and radiation therapy are the most common methods of combating Stage IV. If the cancer has spread to other organs but stayed within the pelvic region, doctors usually attempt to rid the body of the cancer. However, if the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, complete extermination of the cancer is not possible, but various therapies can help control the cancer and prolong life.

    Considerations

    • Despite the relatively narrow life expectancies, roughly 55 percent of Stage IV patients hit the five-year mark from the point of their diagnosis without experiencing any advancement of the cancer. Hormonal and radiation treatments also seem to be the more beneficial method of combating the cancer--patients who opt for surgery only see success rates between 20 and 40 percent.

    Potential Solutions

    • There are a number of alternative therapies and modes of combat that are being tested by scientists, including combination therapy, vaccines and gene therapy. With the exception of gene therapy, all are in use somewhere in the United States where doctors believe the new techniques can help correct more severe cases of cancer than mainstream medicine is currently able. If you or someone close to you does suffer from Stage IV prostate cancer, don't be afraid to ask your doctor what your options are, particularly if it's a matter of life or death.

Prostate Cancer - Related Articles