Looking back at my previous posts regarding Prostate Cancer, you can see that there is a lot still to be covered. This has only been an overview of what is out there. What you need to do (if you haven’t already) is to speak with your doctor. Most-likely, this will become a regular conversation.
So, what questions should you be asking? Here are some you should be sure to bring up:
- If you haven’t been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer*
- Am I at a high, medium or low risk of developing Prostate Cancer?
- What can I do to reduce my chances of developing Prostate Cancer?
- If you have been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer*
- How likely is it that the cancer has spread beyond my prostate?
- Are there any additional tests I should be getting?
- What is the clinical stage and grade of my cancer—and what do those levels mean for me?
- What kind of treatment do you recommend for me? Are there other options?
- What are the risks and benefits of each treatment option?
- What are the odds of the cancer recurring with each treatment option? What do we do if that happens?
- What lifestyle (i.e. diet, exercise, etc.) changes should I be making?
Of course, you should add to this list with your own questions: e.g. depending on your age, you may want to ask about any potential for becoming impotent or sterile.
Again, this list is meant to serve as a starting point for what will be a very important series of conversations you will want to have with your doctor. In my next post we’ll “finish off” our overview by looking at life after Prostate Cancer.
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