Is chemotherapy effective for fourth-stage prostate cancer?

Fourth stage of prostate cancer is said to exist when final evaluation shows that cancer has spread to other body parts that usually include bones.The Kamineni Hospital or Kamineni Cancer Center is well-versed with the management and effective caregivers who provide a range of services from early detection to post-procedural therapies. The Kamineni Hospital helps to minimize the suffering of patients. Their treatment helps patients to have the second birth of their life. Moreover, Depending on the extent of cancer, stage four prostate cancer can be classified as:

• The tumor has spread to pelvic lymph nodes or is creating hurdles with normal processing of ureters or both.
• Cancer has spread to other areas including the lymph nodes and outside the pelvic area involving bones and other distant parts of the body

Patients diagnosed with the fourth stage of prostate cancer can be broadly divided into two groups. One group pertains to the type of patients with cancer locally confined to the pelvis area but also involves the adjacent lymph nodes and organs with stage four prostate cancer. The other group includes the type of patients with the disease that has spread to distant parts of the body most commonly in ribs, spine, and other bones with metastasis stage of the fourth stage of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer diagnosed at this stage is often difficult to treat. Although patients may live for several years even after the detection, recent advances have shown that treatment and their effect can slow down the symptoms and can improve survival. People with prostate cancer are different. They possess specific characteristics and need a specific range of treatment.

Chemotherapy for fourth stage of prostate cancer

Like hormone therapy, chemotherapy is a systemic therapy that involves the use of drugs that further circulate in the blood to different parts of the body where cancer has spread and kills or eliminates the sites affected with cancer. Numerous chemotherapy drugs have been publicised in the market that are helpful in killing the cancerous cells of fourth stage of prostate cancer. These particularly include mitoxantrone, docetaxel, paclitaxel, and estramustine that further has been demonstrated in treating prostate cancer.

Many chemotherapy drugs and medicines have been approved for their usage, especially for the prostate gland. Your doctor may give you the whole information regarding the processing of chemotherapy and the combination of therapies to be applied to your body. However, the use of chemotherapy involves few side effects and timings with the use of therapy. You can consult your doctor regarding the same.

The extent of effectiveness of chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is used in cases where prostate cancer has spread outside the prostate gland that could be one of the usual cycles at the fourth stage of prostate cancer. It can also be performed when hormone therapy is not working. Recent researches have shown that chemotherapy is helpful even if the patient has been provided with hormone therapy. However, it is not the standard therapy to be used especially at the fourth stage of prostate cancer.

In most cases, the first chemotherapy drug that is recommended to most patients is docetaxel that is often combined with the steroid drug prednisone. In case this particular drug doesn’t work or stops working, cabazitaxel is the next chemo drug that is tried. The particular drugs namely Docetaxel and cabazitaxel have shown positive results in the body of patients suffering from prostate cancer. These drugs further add years to the life of patients. On average these are the older chemo drugs. Other chemo drugs that can be used are carboplatin, oxaliplatin, and cisplatin. They may hinder the growth of cancer cells especially at the fourth stage of prostate cancer and reduce the symptoms resulting in quality of life. However, chemotherapy alone is unlikely to cure prostate cancer.

How often Chemotherapy is performed?

Doctors may recommend you to have chemotherapy in cycles with each period followed by the period for rest and time to recover the previous therapy along with the use of drugs. Chemotherapy cycles are two to three weeks long. Their schedule depends on the usage of drugs. For example, with the use of drugs, chemotherapy can be given only on the first day of the cycle. It may be repeated within a few days or once a week. Then at the end of the cycle, the therapy can be repeated to start the new or next cycle. The length of the chemotherapy depends on how well it is working on the cells of prostate cancer. If it is producing any major side effects your doctor may recommend you to slow down the process. Being at the fourth stage of prostate cancer, your doctor may recommend the combination of treatments.

What could be the side effect of chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy may involve the use of chemo drugs. Chemo drugs further affect the growth of cancerous cells and work against their normal processing. It hinders the growth of quickly dividing cancerous cells. At the same time, other cells of the human body like cells in bone marrow, cells in the intestine and lining of the mouth, and cells in the hair follicles also divide quickly. Thus, these cells are further affected by the chemo drug which further leads to side effects. Moreover, the side effect of chemotherapy or chemo drugs depends on the type of drug being used and how long a patient is taking them. Some of the common side effects at the fourth stage of prostate cancer include:

• Mouth Sore
• Hair Loss
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Increase chances of infection
• Fatigue
• Easy bleeding or bruising

However, these side effects usually go away once the treatment is finished and there are chances that side effects lessen with the completion of treatment.

From where to seek help for chemotherapy?

Kamineni Hospital facilitates the state of the art. The hospital possesses a team of experts working behind the whole organization. They are dedicated and are trained to provide hassle-free experiences and personalized treatment to their patients. They are highly skilled in terms of providing their time to their respective patients.

At Kamineni Hospital, the staff is dedicated to providing world-class clinical care at affordable prices. It doesn’t compromise on a quality and experience basis. It strictly follows the rules and basic protocols that are helpful in regaining the quality of life for patients. Kamineni Hospital provides a sensation of professional art and has gained consistency in managing near-impossible results.