I've Just Been Told I Have Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is cancer that begins in your prostate. Only men have a prostate gland, so only men get this kind of cancer.

Prostate cancer often takes many years to develop. Autopsies show that many elderly men who died of other diseases also had prostate cancer and didn’t know it. Sometimes, though, prostate cancer can grow and spread very quickly. Doctors have a hard time predicting which prostate cancers will grow slowly and which will grow quickly. The good news is that doctors can detect prostate cancer earlier than ever before. That means there’s more hope of beating it.

To recommend the best treatment for you, your healthcare team needs to know as much as they can about you and your cancer. The biopsy that showed you have cancer gives your doctor other facts. For instance, it can help your doctor predict how fast the cancer may grow, called the grade. It’s likely you’ll need other tests to learn about how far the cancer has progressed, called the stage.

You may need to work with more than one doctor or other healthcare professionals. Your healthcare team will include a doctor who specializes in cancer. Doctors who specialize in dealing with prostate cancer include urologists, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists. You will also have an oncology nurse. This team will answer any questions you may have. They’ll also help you through each of the steps you’ll take before, during, and after treatment. Your team will let you know what tests are being done and their results. They’ll guide you in making treatment decisions.

Usually treatment for prostate cancer begins a few weeks after a diagnosis. This gives you time to get all the details your doctor needs by having more tests. You also have time to talk with your doctor about treatment choices, get a second opinion, decide about treatment, and prepare yourself and your loved ones.