GRADING AND STAGING Once prostate cancer is confirmed, additional tests are done to learn the location (stage) and Gleason score (grade) of the tumor. These will help you and your doctor understand your diagnosis and help guide treatment decisions. Staging is the process used to find out if the cancer has spread within the prostate or to other parts of the body. PROSTATE CANCER STAGES
Localized or Early Stage I
The cancer is small and only in the prostate.
The cancer is larger and may be in both lobes of the prostate, but is still confined to the prostate.
Localized or Early Stage II
Locally Advanced or Regional
The cancer has spread beyond the prostate to nearby lymph glands or seminal vesicles.
Stage III
The cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as to the bones, liver, or lungs. This is referred to as metastatic or advanced prostate cancer. If prostate cancer spreads, or metastasizes, to the bone, you have prostate cancer cells in the bone, not bone cancer.
Advanced or Metastatic
Stage IV
Between 15 – 40% of men treated with localized prostate cancer will experience a recurrence (cancer later returns). About 5% of men are diagnosed with metastatic disease.
© 2010 Terese Winslow U.S. Govt. has certain rights
VETERANS PROSTATE CANCER GUIDE
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