While the first 3 stages of prostate cancer offer a high success rate in beating back the condition, stage 4 prostate cancer needs to be tackled on just about all fronts as the cancer might have spread considerably. There are various treatments that could be tried to bring back the individual from the brink or at least alleviate the pain and discomfort if there is no hope for recovery.
What is stage 4 prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer starts from the prostate gland but when detected late or in the event that various treatments fail to cease its growth then it could start affecting neighboring internal organs such as the rectum, testicles, etc within the first 3 stages. Nevertheless, if the cancer spreads to various vital organs such as the liver organ, lungs or bones then this is known as metastatic or stage 4 prostate cancer and the likelihood of recovery will now be piled against the patient. Treatment will require several therapies that will need to be aggressively administered on a battle footing, if not to cure then at least to slow down the growth of the cancer and to lessen the associated pain.
Treatment for stage 4 prostate cancer
If your patient has reached stage 4 prostate cancer following passing through the other Three stages then he would probably possess tried surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, etc without much success. In such a case therapies such as Androgen Deprivation Treatment or ADT could try to shrink the prostate gland and slow down the growth of cancer. However, laser hair removal is controversial due to the distinction of opinion amongst physicians; some doctors claim that this isn’t a cure but only a way to delay further growth of cancerous cells. Secondary hormone treatment too could be tried by changing the hormone suppressors that may have been tried previously so as to boost chances of success. Sufferers might also have to go in for intense chemotherapy in a desperate bet to destroy cancer cells that might have spread to various organs. Chemotherapy also includes medicines that can reduce pain and discomfort, especially in patients that might not have a chance of bouncing back.
With regard to patients that do not respond to any kind of therapy or combination of therapies, doctors might suggest that these people partake in clinical trials where new drugs or remedies can be tested on them. This could be their last chance to battle the disease and also help researchers to perfect the therapy for use later on patients suffering from stage 4 prostate cancer.
Future actions for survivors of stage 4 prostate cancer
If a patient has successfully defeat back prostate cancer then he might still will need to go in for regular checkups since some cancers are known to come back after a lull. Certain drugs might also be needed to be consumed regularly by the patient to prevent the cancer from returning and also to supply vital vitamins or nutrients that the patient might have misplaced during treatment.
Although the odds of beating stage 4 prostate cancer are low, it is definitely possible to emerge from the shadow of cancer, albeit with some collateral damage to particular organs. However, patients should not lose hope and try various treatments to beat the cancer and get back their lives. Feel free to visit http://www.ProstateCancerStages.org for more details.
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