Stages Of Prostate Cancer

Depending on your age, your current health, and your past health history, your doctor may examine the prostate gland in the office and may order screening tests.

After you have been screened by your doctor and told you should be checked further for cancer of the prostate, your doctor will perform additional tests.

These tests will help determine if there are cancerous cells and if they have spread beyond the gland to other parts of your body.

This procedure is called staging based on size of the cancer and how far it has spread.

It usually includes a test to provide the Gleason Score.

Staging

An older system called TNM includes descriptions of

• the size of the tumor (T),

• if it has spread to the lymph nodes (N),

• and if it has metastasized (M) to other parts of your body such as the liver or bones.

Currently, the most common classification of staging is the numerical system:

• 1 (I or One) Cancerous cells are found only inside the prostate gland. They are microscopic and cannot be felt during a rectal exam, or seen on regular imaging, including X-rays.

• 2 (II or Two) The cancerous cells have formed a tumor but are still located inside the gland.

• 3 (III or Three) It has spread to nearby tissues like the seminal vesicles.

• 4 (IV or Four) It has spread to other areas of your body such as the lymph nodes, liver, bones, or lungs.

After you have the results of these tests, your doctor will discuss your treatment options, which depending on the stages of prostate cancer and your personal health history, may vary from watchful waiting, lifestyle changes, medication, to immediate aggressive therapies.

Prostate Cancer, Electron Microscopy Unit, Cancer Research, UK
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This page was last updated by Sharon Jones on February 7, 2012.

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