Distinguishing Prostate Cancer Stages on the Central Coast

Has your doctor diagnosed you with stage II prostate cancer? If so, a Dignity Health Central Coast cancer doctor can explain prostate cancer stages and the most effective care for healing with humankindness.

Knowing the stage of prostate cancer helps your doctor make the best treatment decisions. Roman numerals I to IV are used when explaining prostate cancer stages. The lower numbers represent prostate cancer early stages. More extensive cancer is found in stage IV. 

Find a Doctor to experience world-class care for any stage of prostate cancer on the Central Coast of California.

 

Treating All Stages of Prostate Cancer at Dignity Health Central Coast

Your dignity and personal well-being remain our focus throughout your experience with cancer.

Before determining the stage of prostate cancer, your doctor discuss the following with you:

  • Gleason score, which details the aggressiveness of the cancer
  • Prostate specific antigen (PSA) level
  • Spread of cancer to the lymph nodes
  • Spread of cancer to other organs in your body
  • Imaging test results, such as CT scans

With this information in hand, your doctor can personalize a cancer treatment plan that fits your lifestyle and most effectively removes the cancer.

 

A Closer Look at the Stages of Prostate Cancer

Since your cancer stage determines the most effective treatment, it is important to understand each stage and their differences. 

The four stages are: 

  • Stage I means the cancer is only in your prostate gland, affecting only half of one lobe of the gland or less.
  • Stage II means the cancer may have spread to both lobes.
  • Stage III prostate cancers spread outside your prostate gland to seminal vesicles, the glands that help move semen.
  • Stage IV is the most extensive type of prostate cancer. It has spread to nearby organs, lymph nodes, or other parts of the body.

Like all cancers, finding prostate cancer in its early stages typically means a better outcome. Dignity Health Central Coast oncology services provide cancer screenings for men as part of a healthy lifestyle. Talk with one of our skilled providers for information on prostate cancer prevention.

Dignity Health provides exceptional care with humankindness for all stages of prostate cancer on California’s Central Coast.