When You’re Newly Diagnosed

If you’re in this situation, learning that you may have cancer, you may be feeling overwhelmed, upset, and frightened. That’s normal. But it may help you to know that most cases of prostate cancer are treated with a high rate of success, and some prostate cancers may not need immediate treatment at all.

As a newly diagnosed patient, you might be torn by arguments favoring one treatment plan over another, or you may feel ill-equipped to make the decisions required of you. One of the most important tools you have for managing your diagnosis, both physically and emotionally, is education. By empowering yourself with knowledge about prostate cancer, you will be better prepared to ask questions and discuss the risks and benefits of each treatment option with your medical team.

Your decision-making process will likely include a combination of clinical and personal factors, including:

• The medical need for treatment
• Your level of risk based on biopsy, imaging, and exam
• Your personal circumstances
• Your family genetics
• Your desire for a certain treatment option based on risks, benefits, and quality of life

The vast majority of prostate cancers are diagnosed by urologists, who perform the biopsies along with radiologists. After a diagnosis of prostate cancer, you should see both a urologist (preferably a urologic oncologist) and a radiation oncologist to review all your treatment options. In some cases, a medical oncologist should also be seen to review additional systemic therapy options.

A multidisciplinary prostate cancer care team will give you the most comprehensive assessment of the available treatments and expected outcomes, because each specialist physician has expertise in different areas. Many hospitals and universities have multidisciplinary prostate cancer clinics that can provide a consultation on what team of practitioners might be right for you.