Prostate Cancer Flashcards
What is the prostate? What does it do?
small gland in men
produces seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm
Prostate cancer may cause no sign or symptoms in early stages: T/F?
True
Early or more advanced prostate cancer causes signs and symptoms?
more advanced
symptoms of prostate cancer?
trouble urinating decreased force in urine stream blood in urine or semen bone pain losing weight w/o trying ED
Why is bone pain a possible symptom of prostate cancer?
bones are a likely met site for prostate cancer
Common risk factors for prostate cancer:
age (>50)
Race (most common in AA and have more severe cancers)
FHx
Obesity
What blood test is used to screen for prostate cancer?
PSA
What is PSA? normal range? What if it’s elevated?
protein produced by noncancerous and cancerous cells
<3-4ng/mL
elevated PSA could indicate prostate cancer, enlarged or inflamed prostate
What screening method is done in addition to PSA?
digital rectal exam
What must be completed if PSA or digital rectal exam come back abnormal?
a prostate biopsy
What else can PSA tell us?
measuring levels after treatment has begun, can tell us if therapy is working or if need to switch
What is PSA doubling time?
amount of time it takes for someone’s PSA levels to double
if 3mo or less, prognosis seems to be worse compared to other
What scoring system is used for prostate cancer?
Gleason
What type of biopsy is used in prostate cancer?
core biopsy
Describe the process of Gleason scoring:
graded 1-5 based on how differentiated (look normal) the cells are
1/2 are often not used (typically 3 or higher)
highest score is 10
How are Gleason scores often written?
+=_
Why do Gleason scores often have multiple numbers added together?
prostate cancer often have areas with different grades
What makes the first and second numbers in a gleason score different?
the first is the predominant type of cell in the sample
What Gleason score range is poorl diff./high grade? intermediate? low?
8-10
7
6
What are some common treatments for prostate cancer?
Lupron
enzalutamide
What hormone can prostate cancer be sensitive to?
testosterone
What are some limitations of somatic testing of tumors?
not all genes/gene of interest are on the panel
panel may screen gene of interest but not cover it all
What is TMZ?
temozolomide: alkyating agent which causes cell death
What status can impact effectiveness of TMZ?
MGMT methylation
if methylated -> TMZ effective
if not methylated -> TMZ less effective
