Is there a cure for advanced prostate cancer?

  The first thing you need to do is to get a good idea of what you are getting into.  The answer is yes, at present, there are many options for advanced prostate cancer, such as endocrine therapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, etc. Because most prostate cancers are androgen-dependent, endocrine therapy is the first line of treatment for advanced prostate cancer, including removal of both testes, oral anti-androgen drugs and injection of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogues. In the absence of androgen support, prostate cancer cells undergo apoptosis, thus inhibiting the development of the cancer. According to the data, patients with advanced prostate cancer who receive endocrine therapy have a 5-year survival rate of up to 60%. However, information is also available. Nearly half of patients with advanced prostate cancer, after a period of endocrine therapy, will transform into treatment insensitive, which we call hormone non-dependent prostate cancer. For these patients, second-line endocrine therapy can still be considered, or chemotherapy is feasible. Currently, the most effective chemotherapeutic agents are docetaxel, which is usually given once every three weeks for 6-10 times. This chemotherapy regimen with hormones has fewer side effects and is tolerated by most patients, and current clinical results show that it is effective in prolonging survival time and reducing symptoms such as bone pain. In addition, for locally advanced prostate cancer or prostate cancer with bone metastases, radiation therapy is also feasible, which can reduce patients’ symptoms and improve their quality of life. Finally, for patients with advanced prostate cancer with bone metastases, the use of zoledronic acid drugs and strontium isotope therapy can also relieve the symptoms of bone pain.