Testing for Advanced Prostate Cancer

Patients with prostate cancer that is not localized to the prostate and has spread cannot be cured of their disease; however, many treatments are now available that help prolong overall survival in patients with metastatic disease. Testing for it is one way to be on top of managing and treating this cancer.

Patients being treated with LHRH antagonists or agonist undergo routine serial PSA testing. A falling PSA or stable PSA implies that the disease is responding to therapy. A rising PSA means that the disease disease has become hormone refractory. Additional testing needs to be done with rising PSA.

When patients have rising PSA, onset of new symptoms, bone pain, lower extremity swelling, new development of blood in the urine, and/or changes in the pattern of urination.