Actualización en cáncer de próstata

Prostate cancer is considered to be one of the most important medical problems of the male population with very high incidence after 65 years of age. Most of the cases correspond to adenocarcinomas. They generally begin in the peripheral area of the prostate gland. From the histological point of view, the Gleason grading system makes it possible to numerically classify the tumor aggressivity. The tumors are generally asymptomatic until advanced stages of treatment. They are usually detected by endorectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy performed due to elevated PSA value in blood tests. Bone metastases are the most frequently found form of metastatic involvement. Localized tumors may be treated by prostatectomy and/or radiotherapy. Prostate cancer is a hormone-dependent tumor so that disseminated tumors respond to hormonal manipulations over long periods. Chemotherapy has been demonstrated to increase survival in these patients after hormone failure.