Tuesday, August 24, 2010

What happens when prostate cancer spreads to the bones

what happens when prostate cancer spreads to the bones?
my grandpa has prostate cancer and it spread to the bones... i really want to know how long he has... if there's any treatment... or maybe like idk something to give me a little info on it... PLZ HELP ME!!!!! :'(
Cancer - 0 Answers
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1 :
Prostate cancer can spread to the bones. This does not mean that you have bone cancer, but that some of the prostate cancer cells have spread to some areas of bone. This is called secondary prostate cancer. The areas of spread are called ‘bone secondaries’ or ‘bone metastases’. In the following information we use the term ‘metastases’ to describe prostate cancer that has spread to the bone. Up to eight out of ten men (80 per cent of men) with advanced prostate cancer will have bone metastases. 1 The growth of the cancer within the bone damages the bone structure and tissue and can cause pain. Finding bone metastases early helps your specialist team work out the best way to treat them and prevent new metastases forming. The first areas of bone to be affected are likely to be those closest to your prostate including your pelvic bone, hips, lower spine and upper thighs. Pain in these areas can affect how you walk and move around. The pain may only be in one area but over time it can spread to several parts of your body. Men who have bone pain often describe it as a dull aching or stabbing that can get worse with movement. The cancer cells affect the normal strength and performance of your bones, leading to pain and weakening of the bone. There are several effective ways of treating pain caused by bone metastases.
2 :
Malignancies that have spread from their origin to one or more distant locations are known as metastasized cancer. This is what your grandfather has. Unfortunately, the long term prognosis for patients like him is very poor. Your grandfather may be offered chemotherapy and radiation treatment in an attempt to slow or temporarily stop the cancer's advance. There are trade-offs and substantial risks with treatment, so it may not be appropriate for all patients like him. Ultimately, you grandfather will make the decision about how aggressively he wants to treat the illness. Here is a link to the authoritative Merck Manual's chapter on prostate cancer. It provides a wealth of information regarding diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.




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Posted by prostate cancer at 9:10 AM