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Coping with Prostate Cancer

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Having received a diagnosis of prostate cancer, many men experience a multitude of emotions such as fear and anger. In addition, many men may have questions and want to know what and if they can do anything to take an active role in their care. To that end, there is a great deal you can do to become a more active participant in making decisions about your care. For example, you can:

• Learn about the disease-valuable educational materials are widely available on the Internet as well as through your health care provider
• Find out about currently available treatment options and speak with your doctor about which ones may be appropriate for you
• Have conversations with your doctor and nurses—you should be comfortable asking questions and seeking a second opinion
• Join a support group—gain information and resources by talking to others

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Become a partner with your health care team (your urologist, radiation oncologist, medical oncologist, nurse, technician, counselor). Ask questions about your condition, the risks, benefits, and side effects of each treatment option, and the impact your choice will have on your life. It's a good idea to write down all your questions and answers so you can refer to the information at any time. Once you have decided on a treatment option, follow your health care team's advice and let them know about any new symptoms or other concerns.

At Prostate Cancer Testing:

1. What is prostate cancer?
2. How common is prostate cancer in my age group?
3. How is prostate cancer diagnosed? What kind of tests do I need to undergo?
4. What is the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and what does it tell us?

After Prostate Cancer Diagnosis:

1. What is the stage of my prostate cancer? What is the Gleason score of my prostate cancer?
2. Can the prostate cancer spread to other areas of my body?
3. What are my treatment options?
4. What are the benefits and risks (side effects) of each of these options?
5. What are my options for treatment considering the stage of my prostate cancer?
6. What is watchful waiting?
7. What if the prostate cancer progresses or comes back after I've had my initial treatment?
8. Where can I get more information about my diagnosis?

After Initial Treatment:

1. What are the chances my cancer could recur after initial treatment?
2. How likely is it that the cancer has already spread outside my prostate?
3. What additional tests do you recommend, and why?
4. What other treatments might be appropriate for me?
5. How frequently should I have follow up visits?
6. Where can I get more information?

If the cancer has recurred:

1. Are there symptoms of recurrent prostate cancer that I should be aware of?
2. What additional tests do you recommend, and why?
3. What are the next steps that you would recommend for me?
4. What is the likelihood my cancer has spread beyond my prostate?
5. How can I find out about clinical trials?
6. Where can I get more information?

Learning that you or a loved one has prostate cancer may bring up a lot of feelings that you may find hard to deal with. It's only natural to be concerned about treatment, side effects, the future, and how the illness will affect you and your loved ones. Take advantage of all the help you can find, especially from your health care team. Tell them how you are feeling and what you need.

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Get more information on Prostate Cancer at PROSTATEinfo.com

A comprehensive source of information for patients and professionals

A study evaluating the quality of information on prostate cancer available on the Internet ranked PROSTATEinfo.com among the top six Web sites based on¹

• Balanced coverage
• Careful construction
• Ease of use (easy to browse)
• Accuracy of information
• Reputable source of up-to-date information

¹Black, PC, Penson, DF. Prostate cancer on the Internet—information or misinformation?
J Urol. 2006; 175: 1836-1842