Understanding Prostate Cancer
An overview of prostate cancer.
Waypoints
Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer go on to live a normal life span and end up, eventually, dying of something other than prostate cancer. This is especially true for men whose prostate cancer is diagnosed early, before the cancer has time to spread (metastasize) around the body.
Think of prostate cancer as a journey, with ‘Waypoints’, or stops along the journey where a man should reevaluate his prostate cancer status.
For most men, their prostate cancer experience consists only of screening which does not require any treatment. This is called Waypoint two, Screening. Most men screened are never diagnosed and they never move on to the third Waypoint, Biopsy.
If screening leads to a biopsy, and a diagnosis of prostate cancer, that often results in just a single treatment. See Waypoint four, Newly Diagnosed. You are welcome to view additional Prostate Cancer resources at this time, or you can click on a Waypoint below to go directly to the documents that deal with your location along the prostate cancer journey.
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Should I Be Screened for Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer screening saves lives. Guidance on when to begin screening.
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Do I Need a Prostate Biopsy?
A prostate biopsy should be performed only after several tests indicate sufficient risk of a clinically significant prostate cancer.
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Newly Diagnosed – Choosing a Treatment
Information for men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer that is believed to be localized to the prostate and regional lymph nodes.
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Dealing with Side Effects of Prostate Cancer Treatments
Most side effects of treatment can be addressed, at least partially, using medications, surgical interventions, and/or changes in lifestyle.
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Recurrence after Primary Treatment
While prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment have improved significantly in recent years, the cancer can still recur. Patients usually can consider a number of treatment options to treat or control recurrent cancer.
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Metastasis
Prostate cancer is considered advanced when it requires additional treatment beyond radiation or surgery.
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Androgen Independence
Information about immunotherapy, radioisotope therapy, investigational therapies, and other therapies.
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Staying Comfortable
Palliative care helps patients and families facing serious illness with symptom management, goals of care conversations, and difficult emotions related to their diagnosis, as well as care transitions. It is appropriate at any stage of illness...