Prostate Cancer: Staging, Progression, and Treatment

Although prostate cancer has traditionally been regarded as a disease of older men, emerging evidence suggests a shift toward diagnosis at younger ages. Increased prostate-specific antigen screening has been proposed as a contributing factor to the rising rate of prostate cancer in younger men. There is no single laboratory test that can conclude a prostate cancer diagnosis; however, there is evidence that a higher prostate-specific antigen level can signify a higher likelihood of prostate cancer. Treatment of prostate cancer is dependent on disease stage, risk category, symptoms, age, comorbidities, and patient preferences; thus, management of the disease can vary. When discussing cancer, especially prostate cancer, staging is a vital step in the diagnosis and evaluation of the disease. Imaging and assessment tools used in the staging process of a prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment management include CT, MRI, nuclear medicine bone scans, PSMA PET/CT, and Gleason score assessment.