What is metastatic prostate cancer? Prostate cancer occurs when cells in the prostate gland mutate and begin to grow uncontrollably, forming defective tissue (a tumor). Sometimes prostate cancer develops quickly and spreads to other organs, this is known as metastasis. Prostate cancer can often spread to the bones, lymph nodes, adrenal glands, liver, and lungs. How does prostate cancer spread? There are many types of cancer. However, prostate cancer is a type that spreads outside the prostate and is known as metastatic prostate cancer. Prostate cancer can spread to local or distant areas of the body in several steps: Cancer cells leave the prostate by entering blood or lymph vessels; Blood or lymph vessels deposit cancer cells in nearby tissues or organs outside the prostate; Cancer cells, as they circulate, become trapped in the lymph nodes and smaller vessels of the bones, liver, lungs, and adrenal glands; Once these cells begin to supply blood to where they are, they grow into a new tumor. Prostate cancer with local metastases means that the cancer has spread to other organs in the pelvis or nearby lymph nodes. This includes any organ or structure in the pelvis. Sometimes the cancer spreads to other, more distant organs. Distant metastases mean that the prostate cancer has spread outside the pelvis. Bones, liver, lungs, and adrenal glands are common sites for prostate cancer to metastasize. In many cases, prostate cancer grows slowly. Some men don’t even know they have the disease. However, when prostate cancer metastasizes, treatment can become more difficult for the doctor. What types of prostate cancer are there? Most types of prostate cancer are adenocarcinomas, a tumor that develops from glandular structures (including ductal carcinoma and acinar adenocarcinoma). Other rare types of prostate cancer are: Squamous cell carcinoma; Transitional cell carcinoma; Neuroendocrine tumors (including small cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma); Sarcoma (including leiomyosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma) Experts believe that some men may also have mixed prostate cancer, which combines a common type and a rare type of prostate cancer. Rare forms of prostate cancer are more likely to metastasize. References: 1. Cooksey Stowers, K., et al. (2020). Racial differences in perceived food swamp and food desert exposure and disparities in self-reported dietary habits 2. Klusa, D., et al. (2021). Metastatic spread in prostate cancer patients influencing radiotherapy response 3. Medical News Today. What to know about metastatic prostate cancer