Dr. Zhu on Treatment Strategies for Node-Positive Prostate Cancer

Jason Zhu, MD, a medical oncologist at Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, discusses treatment strategies for patients with node-positive prostate cancer.

For patients with prostate cancer who are pathologic node positive, there is a select subset with a prostate-specific antigen of 0 following surgery for which observation is a reasonable treatment option, Zhu says. However, most patients will receive treatment with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) plus radiation, he adds.

Moreover, for those who are clinically node positive, in addition to receiving ADT plus radiation, abiraterone can be utilized if the patient is fit but has aggressive disease. Otherwise, more fragile patients with a better pathology can be treated with ADT plus radiation, Zhu concludes.