Know About Prostate Cancer Staging

By Olive Pate


Cancer has become a serious health issue today. Prostate cancer staging is a process that physicians use to describe the location of the cancer, the extent to which it has spread and the probability of it affecting other parts of the body beyond the prostate gland. They could also determine if it could be cured with local therapies.

The cancer staging process implicates the physician to partake in various tests that should determine the cancer stage.The staging process takes a while for the patient to undergo the tests. The doctors have the responsibility to examine and evaluate the test results to discover the extent at which the tumor has spread and the affected organs. By studying it, it makes it easier for the doctors to treat it and determine the best form of treatment in this way predict if there are any chances of recovering from it.

There are various stages in the the spreading of this form of cancer. In the first stage the tumor is found in the prostate gland only. It cannot be sensed in the process of any screening tests. A first stage cancer is usually made up of cells that look more like healthy cells and is likely to grow slowly and is unlikely to be detected or felt by means of an examining finger.

The second stage which is mostly described by a tumor that is too small to be felt or seen on any tests. It is explained as a slightly larger lump that can be felt around the gland by an examining eye. The cancerous growth has not yet spread past the gland, but the cells are usually abnormal and happens to grow a lot more faster.

On the third stage the cancerous cells start circulating to other organs both around and past the gland. This adversely affects the seminal vesicles in some cases. This stage is critical as it affects the pro static capsule which causes the lump to be felt on the glands surface.

On the last stage which risks any chances of survival of the patient, involves the tumor spreading to all the other parts of the body regardless of the location. It attacks organs and causes a breakdown to these organs such as the liver, lungs and bladder.

During the recovery process there are two types of medical stages of the cancer recovery procedure. The clinical stage which is based on the previous test results. Some of the tests include X-rays, bone scans and also MRI scans. Even though, they may not always be necessary. They come recommended depending on the size of the cancerous growth and the stage of the tumor.

The pathologic stage is grounded on information given during surgery and laboratory results of the prostate tissue removed. The surgery mostly if not, involves the removal of the entire prostate and some lymph nodes.

Recurrent prostate cancer which is a reoccurred tumor after treatment is common in many cancer situations. It may be reverted to the gland or other organs of the body. If this happens the tumor may need to be reviewed again. This helps in earlier detection which in turns leads to an early treatment for the patient which increases the chances of recovery and elimination of the tumor.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment