Abstract
Although prostate cancer is the most common solid tumor among American men, it is not a leading cause of cancer death. In fact, the majority of men diagnosed with this malignancy do not ultimately die of their disease. While this may be due in part to effective therapies, it is also likely due to the fact that many prostate cancers are indolent in nature, taking many years to present with clinical manifestations, if at all. The goal of this chapter is to review the literature on the natural history of untreated prostate cancer and to identify factors predictive of clinical significant disease. We begin by reviewing the influence of pathologic differentiation, clinical stage and tumor volume on the natural history of prostate cancer. We then discuss how underlying patients characteristics, such as age and co-morbidity influence outcomes in this disease. By reviewing the effect of these factors on the natural history of prostate cancer, the reader will obtain a better understanding of this malignancy and will be able to improve outcomes in men affected by this common condition.
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Penson, D.F., Albertsen, P.C. (2008). The Natural History of Prostate Cancer. In: Ablin, R.J., Mason, M.D. (eds) Metastasis of Prostate Cancer. Cancer Metastasis – Biology and Treatment, vol 10. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5847-9_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5847-9_2
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