Prostate cancer recurrence

概述

Prostate cancer recurrence is when prostate cancer comes back after treatment. It can happen if some cancer cells hide in the body and start growing again.

Prostate cancer recurrence most often happens in the first five years after treatment. But it can happen at any time. It can occur after any type of treatment, including surgery, external beam radiation therapy, brachytherapy and hormone therapy. For every 10 people treated for early-stage prostate cancer, studies show that 3 to 5 have a prostate cancer recurrence.

The first sign of a prostate cancer recurrence typically is rising levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood. Sometimes the PSA rises, but the cancer doesn't show up on imaging tests. Healthcare professionals call this a biochemical recurrence.

When imaging tests show recurrent prostate cancer, healthcare professionals call it a radiographic recurrence. Prostate cancer can come back in the prostate area or in other parts of the body.

Many treatments exist for prostate cancer recurrence. When the cancer comes back in the prostate area, treatments may offer the chance for a cure. When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, treatments may help control the growth of the cancer and extend your life. However, metastatic prostate cancer treatments usually do not cure the cancer.

症状

Prostate cancer recurrence often doesn't cause symptoms when it's found early. If the cancer comes back, it's usually detected on a blood test. A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test might find the cancer before it causes symptoms or before it can be found with imaging tests.

Symptoms of prostate cancer recurrence can happen if the cancer grows without being detected. In time the cancer can cause:

• Accidental leaking of urine.
• Back pain.
• Blood in the urine.
• Bone pain.
• Extreme tiredness.
• Weakness in the arms or legs.
• Weight loss without trying.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with a doctor or other healthcare professional if you have any symptoms that worry you. If you have regular checkups with the healthcare team that treated your prostate cancer, tell the team about your symptoms. If you no longer see that care team, tell your usual healthcare professional about your symptoms.

病因

Prostate cancer recurrence can happen if one or more cancer cells remain in the body after treatment. Sometimes this is caused by cancer cells that break away from the original growth in the prostate before treatment. The cancer cells can hide for many years before they start to grow again.

风险因素

Factors that increase the risk of prostate cancer recurrence include:

• Higher cancer stage. The cancer's stage tells the healthcare team about the extent of the cancer. Having a higher stage when first diagnosed with prostate cancer increases the risk of recurrence.
• Higher Gleason score. A Gleason score is a number that tells the healthcare team how different the cancer cells look from healthy prostate cells. It helps the team understand if the cancer is likely to grow slow or fast. Having a high Gleason score before treatment increases the risk of prostate cancer recurrence.
• Higher PSA level. People with prostate cancer often have elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in their blood. Having a high level of PSA when first diagnosed increases the risk of prostate cancer recurrence.
• High-risk DNA changes in the cancer cells. Prostate cancer happens when healthy cells develop changes in their DNA. Certain changes may make the cancer more aggressive or more likely to resist treatment. Your healthcare team might recommend testing to look for these changes.

预防

There's no sure way to prevent a prostate cancer recurrence. Some studies show that healthy lifestyle choices are linked to a lower risk of recurrence. You may try these approaches if you're concerned about prostate cancer recurrence. They also can help reduce the risk of other conditions, such as heart disease, which is common in people with prostate cancer.

Get regular exercise

Studies of physical activity in people with prostate cancer show that those who exercise the most have the lowest risk of dying of the disease. Exercise also helps lower your risk of heart disease.

Healthcare professionals generally recommend:

• Aerobic activity. Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week. Or get at least 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. You also can get an equal mix of the two types. Aim to exercise most days of the week. For even more health benefits, get 300 minutes a week or more of moderate aerobic activity.
• Strength training. Do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week.

If you haven't been exercising regularly, get the OK from your healthcare professional before you start. Start slowly and gradually add more exercise as you go.

Eat a healthy diet

Research supports the idea that a generally healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables and whole grains is linked to improved survival after prostate cancer treatment. There's little evidence that certain foods or vitamins provide benefit.

Healthcare professionals generally recommend:

• Choosing healthy foods. Choose healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts. Other healthy foods include poultry, fish, low-fat dairy products and eggs.
• Limiting other foods. Limit the amount of red meat, processed foods and foods with added sugar.

Don't use tobacco

People who smoke tobacco have a higher risk of prostate cancer recurrence compared with those who never smoked. It's not clear if quitting after treatment helps lower the risk. But quitting tobacco has many other health benefits. It may lower your risk of developing another type of cancer. And quitting is good for your heart.

Avoid all forms of tobacco. If you use tobacco, talk with your healthcare professional about ways to quit.