Four years ago, a 67-year-old man had a serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level of 16 ng/mL. Biopsy specimen showed adenocarcinoma of the prostate gland. His Gleason score was 7. He was treated with external-beam radiation therapy. One month ago, the patient noted fatigue and rib pain. His PSA was found to be 87 ng/mL, and bone scan revealed diffuse metastatic disease. What is the best treatment for this patient?

Related MCQs

• A 76-year-old man was diagnosed with prostate cancer 8 years ago. At that time he had a serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level of 12 ng/mL, a Gleason score of 6, and a clinical stage of T2b (organ-confined on digital rectal examination but involving both lobes of the prostate gland). He was treated with external-beam radiation therapy, and his PSA level dropped to a low of 1.4 ng/mL. Four years later, his PSA level began to rise and now is 14.1 ng/mL. A recent bone scan and CT scans revealed no metastatic disease. His urologist has suggested initiating a course of leuprolide. Which of the following is a potential side effect of leuprolide that the patient should be informed about before commencing therapy?
• A 65-year-old man has a routine screening examination, and his serum prostate- specific antigen (PSA) level is found to be 6.7 ng/mL. Digital rectal examination reveals a mildly enlarged prostate gland, but no discrete nodules. One year ago, his PSA was 2.1 ng/mL. The patient is referred to a urologist who performs a biopsy of the gland. Biopsy specimen shows adenocarcinoma of the prostate with a Gleason score of 9. Which of the following best describes his prognosis on the basis of his Gleason score?
• A 69-year-old man underwent a radical prostatectomy ii years ago. His serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level was 7.1 ng/mL, clinical stage was Tic (clinically organ-confined and detected by screening PSA blood test only), and his Gleason score was 5. His PSA level became detectable 4 years ago. Over the past 3 years, his PSA values have been 1.4 ng/mL, 1 .8 ng/mL, and 2.2 ng/mL. He remains asymptomatic, and a recent bone scan revealed only degenerative disease. The patients risk for rapid metastasis is low for which of the following reasons?
• A 63-year-old man is evaluated because of a several-month history of increasing fatigue and some vague upper abdominal discomfort. His medical history includes gastroesophageal reflux disease, coronary artery disease, and clinical depression, all of which are well controlled with medications. The patient has been working full time. On physical examination, he has mild hepatomegaly. His hemoglobin is 12.2 g/dL, serum alkaline phosphatase level 280 U/L, and serum aspartate aminotransferase level 65 U/L. CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis shows multiple hepatic lesions ranging in size from 1 cm to 4 cm; mesenteric, para-aortic, and paracaval lymphadenopathy, and a colonic mass at the splenic flexure. Colonoscopy reveals a nonobstructing, non bleeding lesion; biopsy shows it to be poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Fine- needle aspiration of one of the liver lesions confirms the presence of malignant cells consistent with a primary colon cancer. What is the most appropriate next step in
• A 58-year-old postmenopausal woman has been taking hormone replacement therapy with combined estrogen and progestin for the past 4 years because she was told it would decrease her risk for heart disease. Her father died at age 65 years of heart disease, and she is concerned that she is also at risk. Recently, her sister has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her mother died of breast cancer. Three years ago, the patient had a breast biopsy that showed atypical hyperplasia. She has not had a hysterectomy. The patient is considering chemoprevention for breast cancer, but is nonetheless concerned about heart disease. Her calculated risk of breast cancer is 10.4% over the next 5 years. Which of the following options is reasonable to consider for this patient?
• A 61-year-old man with a 120-pack-year smoking history is evaluated for a persistent and worsening cough and found to have a 3-cm mass in the right upper lobe on chest radiography. CT-directed needle biopsy is positive for squamous cell carcinoma. CT scans of the abdomen and pelvis, bone scan, and MRI of the head are negative for metastatic disease. Positron emission tomography scan shows uptake only in the right upper lobe mass, and pulmonary function tests indicate that the patient has adequate pulmonary reserve to undergo resection. The patient undergoes a right upper lobectomy. All margins are clear, and all peribronchial lymph nodes are negative for tumor within the resected specimen. What is the most reasonable adjuvant therapy for this patient?
• A 59-year-old woman with an 80-pack-year smoking history is evaluated because of weight loss and severe pain in the upper part of her left leg. She has lost 11.3 kg (25 Ib) from baseline weight of 59 kg (130 Ib). A large lytic lesion is noted on the left femur, with erosion into the cortex. Bone scan shows multiple lesions, and CT scan of the chest shows a large left hilar mass and med iastinal lymphadenopathy. Bronchoscopic biopsy specimen shows poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Radiation therapy to the left femur is initiated. Which of the following findings would preclude use of palliative chemotherapy for this patient?
• A 58-year-old woman with a 60-pack-year smoking history is evaluated because of hemoptysis and weight loss. Chest radiograph and CT scan show a right perihilar mass with mediastinal adenopathy. The results of CT scans of the abdomen, bone scan, and MRI of the head are otherwise negative. Examination of a specimen by bronchoscopic biopsy confirms small-cell lung cancer, and the findings suggest limited-stage disease. After the patient completes mediastinal radiation therapy and four cycles of cisplatin and etoposide, repeat CT scans indicate that her disease is in complete remission. What is the best recommendation concerning further therapy?
• A 64-year-old white man presents for serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening at his wife‟s urging. He is in generally good health, except for mild hypertension. His digital rectal examination reveals a mildly enlarged prostate gland with no discrete nodules. He has no family history of prostate cancer. What is the best advice to give him?
• A 66-year-old black woman diagnosed with stage III colon cancer underwent definitive resection of the primary tumor 3 years ago. After surgery, she received adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin. Approximately 20 months later, she developed metastatic disease in the liver (five lesions in right and left lobe) and lungs (one lesion in the right and left lobe). She was treated with irinotecan, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin, and had a partial response to therapy. One month ago, disease progression was documented on restaging CT scans. The patient‟s laboratory studies show relatively normal organ function. She has fatigue, decreased appetite, and has noticed a 2.3-kg (5-Ib) weight loss over the past 3 months. She has stopped participating in weekend bike trips with a cycling club, but remains involved in church and family activities and states that she wants to be as aggressive as possible in fighting the cancer. What is the most reasonable recommendation for this patie