- With Mayo Clinic urologist
Erik P. Castle, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Erik P. Castle, M.D.
Erik P. Castle, M.D.
Dr. Erik Castle is a board-certified urologist who joined the Mayo Clinic staff in Arizona in 2007.
Dr. Castle is an associate professor of urology at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, and a senior associate consultant in the Department of Urology, where he also is assistant residency coordinator.
He was an assistant professor in the Department of Urology at Tulane University in New Orleans from 2004 to 2006 after serving as a clinical instructor/fellow at Mayo Clinic in Arizona for one year.
Dr. Castle's research interests include prostate cancer, bladder cancer and kidney cancer. He is the director of the Desert Mountain Prostate Cancer Research Fund and is the principal investigator of Castle labs housed at the Samuel C. Johnson Medical Research Building at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. His basic science research is focused on novel secondary hormonal therapies of prostate cancer as well as genomics of prostate and bladder cancers.
His surgical expertise includes laparoscopic urology, robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with nerve sparing, robot-assisted radical cystectomy with neobladder, robot-assisted retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, robot-assisted partial nephrectomy and other robotic urologic oncology procedures. He has performed many of these procedures as demonstrations internationally. He is a member of the American Association of Clinical Urologists, the American Urological Association, the Endourological Society, and the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. He is past president of the international Society of Urologic Robotic Surgery. He is also the director of the international laparoscopic nephrectomy courses throughout Mexico on behalf of the American Urologic Association.
Risk factors (2)
- Flaxseed: Does it affect risk of prostate cancer?
- Vasectomy: Does it increase my risk of prostate cancer?
Tests and diagnosis (1)
- Prostate cancer: Does PSA level affect prognosis?
Complications (1)
- Prostate cancer metastasis: Where does prostate cancer spread?
Treatments and drugs (3)
- Prostate cancer treatment: Does initial treatment preclude others later?
- Ginger for nausea: Does it work?
- Prostate cancer brachytherapy: Can I pass radiation to others?
Alternative medicine (1)
- Pomegranate juice: A cure for prostate cancer?
Prevention (1)
- Frequent sex: Does it protect against prostate cancer?
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Question
Prostate cancer metastasis: Where does prostate cancer spread?
I'm concerned about prostate cancer metastasis. Where can prostate cancer spread?
Answer
from Erik P. Castle, M.D.
In theory, prostate cancer cells can spread anywhere in the body. In practice, though, most cases of prostate cancer metastasis occur in the lymph nodes and the bones.
Prostate cancer metastasis occurs when cells break away from the tumor in the prostate. The cancer cells can travel through the lymphatic system or the bloodstream to other areas of the body.
More commonly prostate cancer metastasis can occur in the:
- Bones
- Lymph nodes
- Lungs
- Liver
- Brain
Rare locations of prostate cancer metastasis include:
- Adrenal glands
- Breasts
- Eyes
- Kidneys
- Muscles
- Pancreas
- Salivary glands
- Spleen
If you've been diagnosed with prostate cancer and you're concerned about prostate cancer metastasis, talk with your doctor about your risk of prostate cancer metastasis and your treatment options.
Next questionProstate cancer treatment: Does initial treatment preclude others later?
- Vinjamoori AH, et al. Atypical metastases from prostate cancer: 10-year experience at a single institution. American Journal of Roentgenology. 2012;199:367.
- Long MA, et al. Features of unusual metastases from prostate cancer. British Journal of Radiology. 1999;72:933.
- What you need to know about prostate cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/prostate. Accessed Jan. 16, 2013.
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