prostate cancer is so common that some experts believe every man would get it if he lived long enough. studies of autopsies show that most men older than 85 who die of other causes have tumors in their prostates. 1 it usually is a very slow-growing cancer that takes years to grow large enough to cause any symptoms. in some men it never does cause problems. sometimes though it grows quickly and may cause complications or death. when prostate cancer grows large enough it begins to fill the prostate and often can be felt by your doctor during a digital rectal exam. as it continues to grow it breaks through the outer rim of the prostate and into nearby tissues such as the seminal vesicles. at this point the disease is called locally advanced prostate cancer. after the cancer has broken through the prostate it may move into nearby lymph nodes. from the lymph node system the cancer can spread to other areas of the body. most often prostate cancer spreads to the bones. it also may spread to the lungs or other organs. when it has spread to the lymph nodes the disease is called metastatic prostate cancer. metastatic prostate cancer is not curable. but a number of treatments are available to help you live longer and make you feel better. while most men live 1 to 3 years after this diagnosis some men may live many years longer. webmd medical reference from healthwise this information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information. © 1995-2011 healthwise incorporated. healthwise healthwise for every health decision and the healthwise logo are trademarks of healthwise incorporated.
what happens to someone when they get prostate cancer advanced or metastatic?