About 1 in 20 men who are evaluated for prostate cancer will have a positive biopsy. Not all men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer in the absence of symptoms require immediate treatment. 

The goal is to allow the greatest quality of life for the longest possible time. 

Men with a life expectancy of fewer than 5 years do not need further evaluation or treatment if they are symptom-free.

For men with a greater life expectancy both the stage and grade of the prostate cancer are considered. 

Stage represents the quantity and extent of the cancer while grade is an estimate of how aggressive the cancer is. 

Stage is usually determined by combining the DRE, PSA, and biopsy results with a bone scan and either computed tomography (CT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 

These studies evaluate whether prostate cancer has metastasized (spread from the prostate to other organs), which raises the stage. 

Grade is determined by the pathologist when he evaluates the appearance of the cancer from the biopsy under a microscope. 

The Gleason grade is now universally used and runs from 1 (low grade) up to 5 (high grade).

A Gleason score (from 2 to 10) is then assigned to the cancer based on the sum of the two most common grades found in the cancer; the greater the score the more aggressive the tumor.

 

 

This section is coming soon.