Grading
Gleason Score
If prostate cancer is diagnosed, the tumor is graded. The grading defines how aggressive the cancer is, which is how fast it is growing and the probability of it spreading. To obtain a Gleason score, a biopsy is taken and a sample of your prostate tissue is sent to the pathology lab for evaluation.
In order to obtain a Gleason score, a pathologist takes the numbers for the two most representative types of cells seen in the sample and adds them together.
The Gleason Grade ranges from 1 to 5, with the highest being most aggressive. A low grade indicates a slow-growing cancer.
Prostate Cancer Stages
Prostate cancer stages are determined by size, progression and location of cancer. Although there are different scales and definitions for these stages, there are commonly four main stages or phases.
Stage A (Stage TI)
In this stage, the cancer is confined to the prostate gland. There are normally no symptoms associated with this stage and the tumor is too small to be felt during a DRE.
Stage B (Stage T2)
In this stage, the cancer is still confined to the prostate gland but can be felt during a DRE or found with a PSA blood test. Often, there are no symptoms associated with this stage.
Stage C (Stage T3)
Stage C indicates that the cancer has advanced outside of the prostate gland only to the immediately surrounding areas, but not to organs.
Stage D (Stage T4)
Stage D indicates that the cancer has spread to nearby organs and other distant areas, such as bones, lymph nodes, liver or lungs. Patient may experience weight loss or feel bone pain and fatigue at the onset or during this stage. This stage may also be referred to as metastatic disease.
