Prostate Cancer Health Center

Prostate Cancer: Treatments by Stage

Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer (HRPC) continued...

The medicine Zytiga is taken with the steroid prednisone and is meant for men with hormone-refractory cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Common side effects include high blood pressure, fatigue, joint swelling or pain, diarrhea, and fluid retention.    

Bisphosphonates appear to be helpful for many men whose cancer has spread to the bones, reducing pain and even slowing cancer growth in many cases. Other medicines and techniques are also available to keep pain and other symptoms under control.

On the treatment horizon, researchers are testing several promising new agents for prostate cancer, including vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and differentiating agents. Because medical experts' ability to treat hormone-refractory prostate cancer is still largely unsatisfactory, men are encouraged to explore these options by taking part in clinical trials.