How Do Treatment Options Differ When I Have Metastatic Prostate Cancer?

March 16, 2009 -- Question: How do treatment options differ when I have metastatic prostate cancer?

Answer: Treatment of metastatic cancer differs from the treatment of localized prostate cancer in several different ways. Treatment for localized prostate cancer typically focuses on treatments designed to either remove or to kill cells in the area of the prostate. Treatments for metastatic prostate cancer are designed to kill cells that have already spread outside of the prostate to other parts of the body. Those types of treatments typically are medical therapies or hormonal therapies that affect all of the body, not just local structures.