Introduction to prostate cancer bone metastasis

Prostate cancer can spread to any tissue or organ in the body through blood metastasis, and the most common distant metastasis site is the bone. Prostate cancer bone metastasis is often asymptomatic in the early stages, but can be accompanied by pain, fatigue, and functional impairment in severe cases. The most common laboratory findings in patients with prostate cancer and bone metastasis are increased serum PSA values, increased serum alkaline phosphatase, and anemia. Radionuclide bone scanning is currently the most commonly used imaging method for diagnosing bone metastasis due to its high sensitivity.

Prostate cancer is the most likely malignant tumor to metastasize to the bone, and more than 80% of prostate cancer patients will have bone metastasis. Bone metastasis lesions can be found in the ilium, vertebral body, ribs, skull and proximal end of long bones, etc., mostly occurring in the blood-rich parts of the central axis of the bones. The most common and earliest clinical manifestation of prostate cancer bone metastasis is bone pain. Continuous dull pain often affects the patient's appetite and daily rhythm of life, causing the patient to become increasingly emaciated and in great pain. Secondly, because the bones are "eaten" by tumor cells bit by bit, the metastatic bones are prone to pathological fractures. If tumor cells invade the patient's spinal vertebrae, then the collapse of the vertebrae will cause symptoms of spinal cord compression, which will make treatment more difficult.

For those who have not received endocrine therapy, the pain control rate caused by bone metastases can reach more than 80% after androgen blockade therapy. For prostate cancer patients who have failed endocrine therapy and whose bone metastases are limited to one or a few sites, local external irradiation is the first choice for relieving pain caused by bone metastases; radionuclide therapy can be recommended for prostate cancer patients with multiple bone metastases or recurrence of the same bone metastasis after external irradiation therapy.

In clinical treatment, the treatment of prostate cancer bone metastasis is a comprehensive treatment, because bone metastasis occurs in the late stage, so the possibility of surgical resection is very low. At this time, the treatment of prostate cancer mainly includes radiotherapy and chemotherapy, traditional Chinese medicine treatment, radionuclide treatment, etc.

Treatment of prostate cancer bone metastasis:

1. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy for prostate cancer:

Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are mainly used to control local symptoms and prevent the development of metastasis, but they have certain toxic side effects. If the patient is old and cannot bear it, it is recommended that you cooperate with Chinese medicine treatment.

2. Radionuclide therapy:

This treatment method has obvious curative effect, less toxic side effects, and can directly kill cancer cells. However, this treatment method has certain contraindications, so be cautious when using it. In addition to the above treatment methods, there is also endocrine therapy, but the specific treatment method to be used is mainly determined by the comprehensive treatment of the patient.

3. Analgesic drug therapy for prostate cancer bone metastasis treatment

There are many mechanisms for bone pain caused by bone metastasis, including activation of endosteal or periosteal nociceptors caused by mechanical deformation or release of chemical mediators, and tumor extension to adjacent soft tissues or surrounding nerves. Bone pain is the main reason why prostate cancer bone metastasis attracts people's attention. Most cases do not cause pain for a certain period of time. Pain gradually occurs as the disease progresses.

4. Treatment of prostate cancer with traditional Chinese medicine:

Traditional Chinese medicine plays a great role in the bone metastasis of prostate cancer and is also the main method of late-stage treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine treatment can effectively control metastasis, inhibit cancer cells, and effectively improve the patient's body's immune ability, which can greatly improve the patient's quality of life and increase its therapeutic effect. Traditional Chinese medicine adjuvant treatment can effectively promote recovery and prevent the recurrence and metastasis of the disease. Clinical practice has confirmed that the Chinese medicine ginseng extract ginsenoside Rh2 (life-protecting element) can achieve anti-tumor effects through four major mechanisms: reversing the differentiation of cancer cells into normal cells, regulating the proliferation cycle of tumor cells, immunomodulating effects, and repairing the damage caused by chemotherapy in tumor patients, and effectively preventing cancer recurrence and metastasis. At the same time, the Chinese medicine ginsenoside Rh2 combined with chemotherapy can play a role in enhancing efficacy and reducing toxicity.