5 Helpful Tips for Those Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer
Regardless of the language it’s being delivered in, few sentences pack the same punch as “You have cancer.” Universally, those three words are among the most dreaded one can ever hear. For many people, the immediate reaction is physical—their pulse elevates, their heart beats faster and tears stream down their cheeks. And in the coming days, weeks and months, the mental and emotional toll of a diagnosis only adds to the anguish.
Two of the most essential resources a cancer patient—whether it’s breast cancer, brain cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer or one of the other 100+ different types of cancers—can have on their side are a good support system and an educated understanding of their condition. Given Promaxo’s close connection and organizational interests, we wanted to do our part with the latter—specifically for prostate cancer patients. If you or a loved one are feeling stressed or anxious about a recent diagnosis, you’ll want to read on as we present a few useful coping options for those diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Keep an open dialogue with your doctor(s)
Navigating that feeling of despair won’t be easy, which is why it’s critical for newly diagnosed patients to take advantage of the resources at their disposal—especially their doctor(s). Your health care team will be able to answer your questions, but keep in mind that even physicians can’t see into the future. Many newly diagnosed cancer patients find an abundance of education reassuring or providing a much-desired feeling of control. Some general questions you should ask your doctor include:
- What stage is my cancer?
- What is my prognosis?
- Has the cancer spread?
- What are my treatment options?
- Should I get a second opinion?
The American Cancer Society has an entire page titled “Questions to Ask My Doctor About My Cancer” that includes those questions and others to help the newly diagnosed gather the information they need.
Conduct plenty of research on your own
While your health care team is a wealth of information, you obviously won’t have access to them on a 24/7 basis. However, many of the most reputable advocacy and industry groups within the cancer space have a robust online presence in which they provide ample data and details for cancer patients. For example, the American Cancer Society publishes key statistics for prostate cancer—like how there will be nearly 250,000 new cases of the disease this year alone—that can help someone who was recently diagnosed feel less isolated.
The National Cancer Institute, another reputable and trustworthy provider of prostate cancer facts, reports that prostate cancer has a 97.5% five-year relative survival rate. That means that the overwhelming majority of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer survive five years or more. You might also consider perusing the National Institutes of Health website for information on the disease or to find potential clinical trials like this one for prostate cancer patients who become fatigued during radiation treatment.
Review all of your treatment options
There are four main stages of prostate cancer, and the lower the number, the less the cancer has spread; though as the American Cancer Society points out, some stages are split based on factors like your prostate-specific antigen (PSA) score and the likelihood of the cancer spreading quickly. Treatment will vary depending on your stage, age and life expectancy, but some of the most common forms include surgery to remove the prostate gland, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we dig deeper into these treatment methodologies and others like focal therapies.
Promaxo recognizes the men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer
We know hearing that you have prostate cancer is not an easy pill to swallow and that the idea of treatment can be daunting. But with a positive outlook, open dialogue with your physician and a commitment to educating yourself, it’s possible to make the best out of a bad situation.
