When facing metastatic prostate cancer (disease that has spread to other parts of the body), treatment should include systemic therapy, which is designed to circulate and attack cancer cells throughout the body.

Doctors may use a combination of hormone therapy, chemotherapy and novel agents to treat patients with high-volume metastatic disease. New therapies and treatment regimens for metastatic prostate cancer are continuing to emerge.

Consultation with a medical oncologist specializing in prostate cancer is important for patients with widespread disease. In addition to its typical role in treating metastatic prostate cancer, chemical castration (treatment using drugs that lower androgen levels) may be employed along with radiation therapy as an initial treatment for cancer that has a high risk of recurrence.