As of: February 6, 2024, 1:06 p.m
By: Natalie Hull-Deichsel
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The chances of survival of affected patients after diagnosis depend on whether the tumor has only affected the prostate or has already spread to surrounding tissue.
Every year, around 62,000 men in Germany are diagnosed with prostate cancer, of which around 17,000 die from it.
Prostate, also known as prostate gland, is located below the urinary bladder.
The
German Cancer Society
emphasizes that early detection of the tumor, similar to colon cancer, is crucial in order to improve treatment options and chances of recovery.
The risk of developing prostate cancer increases with age.
Symptoms such as increased urge to urinate can indicate prostate cancer or bladder cancer.
Although the exact causes are not yet fully known, it is believed that, in addition to age, genetics and an unhealthy lifestyle significantly increase the risk of prostate cancer.
Cure prostate cancer: In the early stages, the chances of survival are good
Regular checks of the prostate are useful in order to detect possible signs of a tumor in good time.
© Andreas Arnold/picture alliance/dpa
If the prostate alone is occupied by the tumor, the chances of recovery are still good, according to experts from the
German Cancer Society
.
If prostate cancer is detected at an early stage, over 90 percent of all sufferers live at least five years after diagnosis.
The chances of a permanent cure are very good through removal of the prostate, a radical prostatectomy.
During radical prostatectomy, the patient's prostate and surrounding tissue are removed, in some cases plus nearby lymph nodes.
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The aim is to completely remove the tumor tissue through the operation and thereby achieve a cure, according to the
German Cancer Research Center
.
It has been shown that seven out of ten patients were cured after the procedure.
In cancer medicine, patients are usually considered cured if they have been cancer-free for at least five years.
However, the more advanced the cancer is, the less likely it is to achieve an R0 resection - i.e. complete removal of the tumor into healthy tissue - and the higher the risk of a relapse.
Prostate cancer: If metastases have formed, palliative therapy helps against the pain
If the tumor is discovered late due to non-specific signs or if the disease cannot be stopped despite treatment, the tumor will spread into neighboring tissue.
Metastases then develop, initially in the lymph nodes of the pelvis, then spreading to other organ systems.
According to the German Cancer Society
, the bones most commonly affected are
the spine, ribs and pelvic bones.
But recurrences can also occur in the lungs and liver.
The cancer is now at an advanced stage where surgery or radiation as individual therapy is no longer sufficient.
At this point, doctors rely on a treatment that works throughout the body, such as hormone therapy or chemotherapy.
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In most cases, healing is no longer possible at this advanced stage.
The aim of treatment is, above all, to stop the cancer from progressing for as long as possible and to relieve the pain through palliative therapy.
How long a patient with metastatic prostate cancer survives depends on the extent and aggressiveness of the tumor's spread.
Prostate cancer: Follow-up checks are important
Follow-up checks are essential if you have cancer, including prostate cancer.
If the blood values show that the PSA level has increased, there is a possibility that there is a recurrence, i.e. tumor cells are growing again.
The patient and doctor decide together what is best in the individual situation:
Waiting observation,
A renewed therapy, for example radiation therapy after the operation or vice versa or
Drug treatment, usually antihormonal therapy
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It in no way replaces a visit to the doctor. Our editorial team is not allowed to answer individual questions about medical conditions.