Prostate Cancer Staging And Diagnosis

By Olive Pate


Cancer is a major health problem today. Prostate cancer staging is a procedure mostly performed by doctors who wish to depict the location of the tumor and level of proliferation. It also determines the probability of the tumor infecting other body organs and if its curable using normal procedures.

The cancer staging process implicates the physician to partake in various tests that should determine the cancer stage.The staging process takes a while for the patient to undergo the tests. The doctors have the responsibility to examine and evaluate the test results to discover the extent at which the tumor has spread and the affected organs. By studying it, it makes it easier for the doctors to treat it and determine the best form of treatment in this way predict if there are any chances of recovering from it.

Tumor develops with stages that have different symptoms. The beginning stage of the tumor is only found in the prostate glad. The first stage is usually made up of normal cells that look healthy. They are likely to grow slowly and are unlikely to be detected at that time or felt by an examining finger or any screen tests carried out.

The tumor is described as a slightly huge lump that can be felt around the gland on the second stage. Although it is too small to be seen on any screen tests. At this time the tumor has not spread to other parts of the body nevertheless, the cells appear to be strange and seem to be growing steadily.

The subsequent stage, the tumor may begin to propagate to other organs and the tissues surrounding the glad. It risks affecting the seminal vesicles too. By this time, the tumor has already spread extensively to the prostatic capsule while the lump is felt and seen vividly on the glands surface.

The immediate fourth stage is described by any tumor that has already spread to other parts of the body and invaded all the nearby organs, such as the rectum, bladder, bone, lungs, lymph nodes or liver.

Through the process of recovery, there are two medical stages of the prostate cancer that involve the recovery procedure. The stage that is based on the test results that were previously done which is the clinical stage. The clinical stage involves various tests such as MRI scans, X-rays, bone scans. These tests are not always deemed necessary unless recommended by the physicians. They mostly come advised depending on the tumor's size and its stage of advancement.

The pathologic stage on the basis of provided information during the surgery which mostly involves the removal of the prostate and some lymph nodes or test results of the already removed prostate.

Recurrent prostate cancer which is a reoccurred tumor after treatment is common in many cancer situations. It may be reverted to the gland or other organs of the body. If this happens the tumor may need to be reviewed again. This helps in earlier detection which in turns leads to an early treatment for the patient which increases the chances of recovery and elimination of the tumor.




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