What are the final stages of prostate cancer?

The progression of prostate cancer is divided into four distinct stages; by the fourth stage the cancer will have spread to other parts of the body. In this final stage, the Gleason score can range from 2 to 10, and the cancer may have spread to nearby tissue such as the rectum, bladder or pelvic wall. It may also have spread to nearby lymph nodes, and often spreads to the bones.

The stages of prostate cancer represent the degree to which the cancer has spread. In early stages, the cancer is more contained.

• Stage I
  The cancer is only in the prostate.


• Stage II
  The cancer is more advanced but is still contained within the prostate.


• Stage III
  The cancer has spread beyond the outer layer of the prostate and may have spread to the seminal vesicles.