Prostate Cancer: Detection and Staging

Question 1

A malignant tumor formed from glandular structures in epithelial tissue.

Answer 1

Adenocarcinoma

Question 2

What system is used for staging of prostate cancer?

Answer 2

Gleason score

Question 3

A _____ Gleason score means the cancer tissue is similar to normal prostate tissue (smaller cells, well-differentiated, more compact) and the tumor is less likely to spread

Answer 3

low

Question 4

A ______ Gleason score means the cancer tissue is very different from normal and the tumor is more likely to spread

Answer 4

high

Question 5

Why is prostate cancer hard to stage and treat?

Answer 5

Tumors are heterogenous (different parts of the tumor evolve differently)

Question 6

How is prostate cancer detected?

Answer 6

1) PSA test (blood test)
2) Digital Rectal Exam
3) Very invasive biopsy

Question 7

What are the risk factors for prostate cancer (in order of importance)?

Answer 7

1) Age
2) Family history
3) Race

Question 8

What does PSA stand for? Why is the PSA blood test problematic as a treatment method?

Answer 8

Prostate Specific Antigen; need to know the baseline for each man, so have to retest (wait-and-see allows time for tumor to grow)

Question 9

What is the treatment for prostate cancer in the early stages?

Answer 9

Wait and see; radiation to lower PSA

Question 10

What is the average survival for early stage prostate cancer?

Answer 10

10-15 years

Question 11

What is the treatment for middle stage prostate cancer?

Answer 11

surgery and radiation

Question 12

What is the five year survival rate for middle stage prostate cancer?

Answer 12

50%