A Gleason score of 9 is not a death sentence.
While a Gleason score of 9 to 10 indicates a high grade and aggressive form of prostate cancer it does not always mean death.
Many men that have a Gleason score of 9 to 10 have lived and live long and healthy lives as long as they get appropriate treatment and care.
The Gleason score is a system which is used for grading prostate cancer, based on how the cancer cells appear under a microscope.
Gleason scores range from 6 to 10 and scores of 8, 9 or 10 are high grade and indicate a higher risk of cancer growth and spread.
Although the Gleason score of 9 to 10 signifies a higher risk with the prostate cancer, it does not always mean a guaranteed death sentence.
Treatment options for high grade prostate cancer including Gleason scores of 9 to 10 include surgery such as radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy as well as hormone therapy such as androgen deprivation therapy.
Detecting the prostate cancer early and treating the prostate cancer early is important for improving your outcome of survival for all prostate cancer including the higher grade prostate cancers.
Your factors such as your age, overall health, stage of the prostate cancer and the treatment also can influence the prognosis of the prostate cancer as well as the survival rates.