Advanced Prostate Cancer Treatment in San Antonio

Advanced prostate cancer can feel overwhelming. You may wonder what it means and what happens next. You may also have questions about your treatment options.

We provide advanced prostate cancer treatment in San Antonio. These treatments can help control the disease, reduce symptoms, and protect your quality of life.

Prostate cancer starts in a small gland below the bladder. In some men, it grows slowly and stays in the prostate. In others, it spreads outside the prostate or stops responding to hormone therapy. When this happens, treatment focuses on slowing the cancer and helping you stay active and independent.

Advanced prostate cancer generally means one or both of the following:

• The cancer has spread beyond the prostate
• The cancer no longer responds fully to standard hormone therapy

As the disease changes, your doctor may use different terms to describe what’s happening. Each one simply explains where the cancer is and how it’s behaving:

• Locally advanced prostate cancer means the cancer has grown just outside the prostate. It may spread into nearby tissue or lymph nodes.
• Metastatic prostate cancer means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. It most often spreads to the bones or distant lymph nodes.
• Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) means the cancer continues to grow even when testosterone levels are very low.

Advanced prostate cancer is not usually curable. Treatment focuses on controlling the cancer and helping you live well. The main goals of care are to:

• Slow or control cancer growth
• Reduce symptoms such as bone pain or urinary problems
• Prevent complications
• Help you keep your strength and remain active and independent

Hormone Therapy

Prostate cancer cells need testosterone to grow. Hormone therapy is also called androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). It lowers testosterone or blocks it from feeding cancer cells. It is the main treatment for many men with advanced prostate cancer.

Hormone therapy may be given as injections, pills, or both. For many men, it can control the cancer for years.

If the cancer keeps growing even when testosterone levels are very low, stronger hormone-blocking drugs may be used. These medicines can slow the cancer further and may delay the need for chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy may be used when prostate cancer spreads or stops responding to hormone therapy. These drugs travel through the bloodstream to treat cancer cells throughout the body.

Chemotherapy can:

• Shrink tumors
• Reduce symptoms, such as bone pain
• Help men live longer

Side effects can happen, but many men tolerate chemotherapy better than expected with today’s supportive care.

Targeted therapy

Some advanced prostate cancers have genetic changes. When this happens, targeted therapy may be an option. These treatments focus on cancer cells with specific DNA features while minimizing damage to normal cells. Genetic testing using tumor tissue or blood can help determine whether targeted therapy would be beneficial in your case.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy helps your immune system find and attack cancer cells. It may be used when the cancer no longer responds to hormone therapy or other treatments.

One option is a therapeutic vaccine that helps your immune system target prostate cancer cells. Other immune-based drugs may be used for men whose tumors have certain genetic features.

Radiation

Radiation can still play an important role in advanced prostate cancer treatment. It may be used to slow cancer growth or relieve pain, especially in the bones.

Radioligand Therapy (Pluvicto)

Pluvicto is a type of radioligand therapy, where radiation is delivered directly to cancer cells, no matter where they are located in the body. It’s an advanced treatment for men with PSMA+ mCRCPC.

• PSMA+ stands for prostate-specific membrane antigen positive.
• mCRCPC means metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Advanced prostate cancer does not mean you are out of options. With today’s advanced prostate cancer treatment, many men in San Antonio are able to manage the disease and maintain their quality of life. Schedule an appointment today to discuss your treatment options and create a plan that’s right for you.

1. Does advanced prostate cancer mean there are no treatment options?

No. An advanced diagnosis doesn’t mean treatment options run out. Care often shifts toward managing the disease using both established and emerging therapies. For many men, this approach allows treatment to adapt as needs and goals change.

2. What does castration-resistant mean?

It means the cancer is growing despite very low testosterone levels. It does not mean treatment has failed or that care has stopped.

3. What can I do to feel stronger during advanced prostate cancer treatment?

Feeling stronger during treatment usually comes from smaller, rather than big changes. Many men find that focusing on the basics helps them feel better, including:

• Staying active, even with short walks or light movement, to maintain strength and reduce stiffness
• Prioritizing rest and sleep to give your body time to recover
• Eating well to support energy, weight, and bone health
• Addressing side effects, like pain, early to prevent them from becoming more disruptive

Asking about supportive services, such as physical therapy or nutrition counseling, can help, too.