Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUnderstanding StagingSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisCopingFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Understanding Staging
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Coping
Frequently Asked Questions
Stage 4prostate canceris the most advanced stage of the disease. It means that cancer has spread beyond the prostate to distant areas of the body. Learn more about this stae, what treatments are available, and the prognosis.
Brianna Gilmartin / Verywell
The most common staging system used with prostate cancer is theTNM staging system.
With the TNM system, letters stand for:
Prostate cancer is considered stage 4 in three different ways:
Symptoms of stage 4 prostate cancer can be related to cancer in your prostate, or due to metastases. Some of these include:
Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer
Tests to diagnose prostate cancer may include a computerized tomography (CT) scan, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography scan (PSMA PET) to evaluate the growth and look for metastases.
While stage 4 prostate cancer isn’t usually curable, it is treatable. A combination of several treatments is usually used over time for this stage of the disease.
Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy (or androgen deprivation therapy) is often the mainstayfor stage 4 disease. Different options are available to reduce the amount of testosterone in your body. Some medications stop the production of testosterone, and others work to prevent testosterone from stimulating prostate cancer cells.
Just as estrogen works as a fuel to stimulate the growth of many breast cancer cells, testosterone works as a fuel to facilitate the growth of prostate cancer cells.
Palliative Surgery
If the cancer has spread, there is no surgery that can cure the cancer. Surgeries are often done to help with symptoms and quality of life for urinary symptoms.
One surgery to help symptoms may include atransurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Sometimes, anorchiectomy(removal of both testicles) can be done as an alternative to hormonal therapy.
Palliative Radiation
Radiation may be used along with hormonal therapy initially to control pain, and after hormonal therapy has stopped working. Radiation may also be used for bone metastases to decrease pain.
Treatment of Bone Metastases
Spread of the cancer into the bones can be painful and can increase the risk of bone fractures or compression of the spinal cord. Treatments can include hormone therapy, chemotherapy, targeted drugs, immunotherapy, and bisphosphonates.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapymay work to extend life for men with prostate cancer and also relieve pain due to metastases.
Stage 4 with distant metastases: According to the National Cancer Institute’s SEER data, people who have stage 4 prostate cancer with spread to distant lymph nodes (N2) or to other regions of the body such as bones, had a five-year survival rate of 30.2%.
Keep in mind that treatments for advanced cancers are improving each year. Every person is different, and clinical trials today may change those numbers tomorrow.
Learn about your cancer. Be aware of some common prostate cancer emergenciesso you can be prepared. Accept help. Stage 4 prostate cancer can sometimes cause significant pain. Talk to your healthcare provider and don’t try to be “a hero” and avoid treating your symptoms.
Consider joining a support group or check into online stage 4 prostate cancer communities. If it is your loved one coping with prostate cancer, learn important tips on supporting a loved one with prostate cancer.
The four stages of prostate cancer are numbered one to four using roman numerals. These include stage I, stage II, stage III, and stage IV. Each stage describes whether cancer is contained entirely within the prostate gland or has spread to other areas within the body. Stages II, III, and IV also have substages that further classify the progression of the disease.Learn MoreHow Prostate Cancer is Diagnosed
The four stages of prostate cancer are numbered one to four using roman numerals. These include stage I, stage II, stage III, and stage IV. Each stage describes whether cancer is contained entirely within the prostate gland or has spread to other areas within the body. Stages II, III, and IV also have substages that further classify the progression of the disease.
Learn MoreHow Prostate Cancer is Diagnosed
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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