STAGE 4 OR NOT

[Barrie1943]

I had radical prostatectomy (RP) 2015. PCa now returned to lymph node near tail bone. Is this classed as local or distant travel?

I read that stage 4 is generally not curable. That PCa spreading from prostate to node is stage 4. I am told my spread 8 years after RP to node near tail bone is "T3A recurrence in node (3+4 = 7)" and not stage 4, incurable. I will complete my 28th radiation to the upper pelvic area tomorrow and am midway through first 3 months of Zoladex 10.8 mg implant. Next is scheduled for 7th June and planned as the last. They say I will learn in about  6 months how the treatments have fared.Am I stage T3A or generally uncurable stage4?????????????????????????

[MarkJG]

Hi Barrie.  Sorry to hear your PC has returned.  Mine was classed as stage3 with spread to local lymph nodes so I would think yours would be classified the same as long as it hasn't been detected spreading any further.  I recently had a bunch of scans, CT, bone, PET because of a rapidly riding PSA and none showed any spread to bones or other areas so i'm still stage 3 for now and started on Darolutamide 5 weeks ago to lower it and hopefully keep it low for as long as possible. 

As far as being curable goes, I was told that once it's left the prostate, a cure isn't possible, more a case of stopping it growing for as long as possible, ideally at an undetectable level.  This is my understanding anyway.  I hope you get a good result coming up after your radiation.