Life expectancy when a malignant prostate tumor is detected depends on the timely diagnosis of the disease and its form. If any form of malignant neoplasm is identified at an early stage and an effective method of therapy is chosen, prostate cancer patients live 10-15 years or more.
If the oncological process develops aggressively and reaches stages 3-4, the prognosis is disappointing.
Survival at various stages
The prognosis for survival with prostate cancer depends on the time of diagnosis and the type of cancer. If the disease is detected at an early stage, the likelihood of successfully stopping tumor growth increases.
The form of prostate adenocarcinoma plays an important role in prognosis. Different forms of the disease have different difficulties in diagnosing at an early stage and differ in the rate of tumor growth.
Stage 1
It is very difficult to detect a tumor at an early stage. It is not detectable by palpation and has almost no symptoms. Minor ailments do not cause alarm, so men do not go to the clinic for examination.
Provided early diagnosis and compliance with all medical recommendations, life expectancy for stage 1 prostate cancer is quite high. Almost 95% live more than 10 years if the correct treatment method is selected.
Stage 2
With the second degree of oncology, men exhibit symptoms of the disease:
- urination problems (pain, frequent urge);
- problems with potency.
When palpating the prostate, the doctor can detect a tumor and prescribe additional examination: laboratory tests, ultrasound, MRI, biopsy.
Life expectancy for stage 2 prostate cancer will depend on the choice of treatment:
- Surgical removal of the organ.
- Radiotherapy.
- Chemotherapy.
- Cryo-freezing.
The general prognosis when using various methods is from 60 to 90% of patients have a chance to cross the 10-year mark.
Stage 3
At this stage, the tumor penetrates beyond the boundaries of the prostate gland, pressing on the bladder and rectum. The third degree of the disease has pronounced symptoms:
- disturbance of urination (severe pain, difficulty and frequent urination, blood);
- gastrointestinal problems.
Treatment of stage 3 carcinoma is not complete without surgery. Life expectancy for stage 3 prostate cancer in the presence of metastases is 5 years in only 50% of patients.
Stage 4
With the fourth degree, the number of symptoms increases, and they have a pronounced character:
- lack of appetite;
- weight loss;
- severe pain in the back and bones;
- sometimes there is paralysis of the legs.
The fourth stage of oncology is considered inoperable, as it is accompanied by metastases throughout the body. They spread quickly through the blood and lymphatic systems. Malignant cells affect bone tissue, neighboring organs, and the brain.
With stage 4 prostate cancer with metastases, only 30% of patients live for more than 5 years. In the absence of treatment, the prognosis is completely disappointing - from 1 to 3 years.
Dependence of prognosis on symptoms
Symptoms of the disease depend on the degree and form of cancer. Carcinoma can be:
- Poorly differentiated.
- Highly differentiated.
With poorly differentiated carcinoma, life expectancy is much shorter:
- it is of an aggressive nature;
- grows quickly;
- metastasizes;
- less responsive to drug therapy (responses poorly to chemotherapy and radiation).
If a low-grade tumor is detected, the chances of 5-year survival depend on the stage at which it was detected:
- On the first – 50%.
- On the second – 25-40%.
- On the third – 25%.
Treatment of grade 1-2 highly differentiated carcinoma, when it has not yet spread beyond the organ, allows you to completely get rid of it and significantly prolong life.
A malignant prostate tumor, starting from stage 3, has pronounced symptoms and the appearance of metastases. Then the treatment becomes more complicated and the chances of a full recovery are reduced.
After chemotherapy
Chemotherapy for prostate cancer is prescribed for highly differentiated forms and prolongs life by approximately 3 years. When hormone resistance appears, the chances are halved.
After operation
Surgical removal of the prostate for oncology is permissible at stages 1-3 of the disease. During the operation, the prostate gland, seminal ducts, and, in case of damage, lymph nodes are removed.
Life expectancy after surgery (5-year rate) at stages 1-2 is 100%, at stages 3 it is slightly lower.
When metastases spread to neighboring organs, 90% of patients cross the 5-year mark.
At stage 4, surgical intervention is performed in exceptional cases. Life expectancy after removal of prostate cancer with metastases to distant organs (5 years) is about 30%.
Without surgery
Most often, men do not agree to removal surgery, preferring other methods of therapy. Without undergoing surgery to remove stage 1-2 prostate cancer and following all medical prescriptions, many patients overcome the 5-year mark:
- With radiation therapy - 70 - 80%.
- With orchiectomy and hormonal treatment - 55%.
- With androgen blockade - 95%.
- When using the freezing method, more than 80% live for approximately 5 years. Statistics for this method are not accurate, since it began to be used relatively recently.
For bone metastases
In prostate cancer, metastases primarily affect the nearest organs:
- urinary system;
- kidneys;
- intestines;
- testicles.
And only at stage 4 they spread further and affect the bones.
The life expectancy prognosis for prostate cancer with bone metastases is disappointing. Only about 25% of men live more than 5 years with this diagnosis.
After relapse
After any type of treatment there is a risk of relapse. The rehabilitation course is necessarily accompanied by PSA tests. Its sharp increase indicates a systemic relapse.
If the return of the disease is detected early, the risk of death can be significantly reduced.
Survival of prostate cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy depends on many factors:
- timely detection;
- patient's age;
- body reactions to medications.
Life expectancy after systemic relapse ranges from 5 to 15 years.
How to increase survivability
In order to increase life expectancy with prostate cancer, it is necessary to undergo timely preventive examinations and follow all medical recommendations:
- Eliminate fried, fatty and smoked foods from your diet. Do not consume fast food and margarine.
- Add grapefruits, tomatoes, carrots, watermelon, melon to your diet.
- Don't drink alcohol.
- Light physical activity and training to strengthen the muscles of the perineum are allowed.
- If you maintain an erection, it is recommended to lead a normal sex life.
