Prognosis in prostate cancer

In general, the prognosis for prostate cancer which is confined to the prostate (localised) is very different to that for cancer which has already spread to other parts of the body (metastasised).

If diagnosed and treated early, around 85% of localised prostate cancers can be completely cured. This rate is, however, highly dependent on how aggressive the cancer is, and is significantly lower for more aggressive cancers.

Unfortunately, if the cancer has already metastasised, it can no longer be completely cured. In this case, treatment is palliative. The goal of palliative treatment is to keep the patient alive for as long as possible while maintaining a good quality of life and preventing complications.