Prostate Cancer, Advanced or Metastatic
When To Call a Doctor
Call your doctor immediately if you:
- Are completely unable to urinate.
- Have painful urination and a fever higher than 100°F (37.78°C), chills, or body aches.
- Have blood or pus in your urine or semen.
Call your doctor to schedule an appointment if you have unexplained:
- Weight loss.
- Dull, aching pain in your lower back, pelvis, or hips.
- Swollen Reference lymph nodes Opens New Window in the groin area. These nodes are usually not tender.
Active surveillance or watchful waiting
Active surveillance means a man will be watched closely by his doctor and have regular checkups and tests, including prostate biopsies. If the cancer starts to grow more quickly, he will have other treatment.
Active surveillance is an option for men with low-risk cancer who expect to live more than 10 years and don't have other chronic health problems. It may be an option for some men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer. But active surveillance usually is not a choice when prostate cancer has spread.
Sometimes men who have Reference PSA Opens New Window levels that are rising slowly after having treatment may not start hormone treatments right away but be monitored with active surveillance.
Watchful waiting means a man will be watched closely by his doctor but not have treatments that try to get rid of the cancer. If an older man has serious health problems and isn't expected to live more than 10 years, he may not be able to handle treatments or even want to have treatments except those needed to keep him comfortable (palliative care).
Who to see
Doctors who can treat locally advanced and metastatic prostate cancer include:
- Reference Urologists Opens New Window.
- Reference Urologic oncologists Opens New Window.
- Reference Radiation oncologists Opens New Window.
- Reference Medical oncologists Opens New Window.
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Reference Making the Most of Your Appointment.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Reference Terms of Use. Reference How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
