Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Prostate Cancer

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you may be feeling unsure or pressured about what to do or where to begin the process of getting treatment. It's important to prepare yourself with a list of questions to ask your doctor about where you stand and how to get the best treatment available. Be open and honest with your cancer care team and make sure to ask any question no matter how trivial you think it may be.Here's a list of some questions you should consider asking. What is the likelihood that the cancer has spread beyond my prostate? If so, is it still curable? What additional tests do you recommend, and why? What is the clinical stage and Gleason score (grade) of my cancer? What do those mean in my case? What is my expected survival rate based on clinical stage, grade and various treatment options? Should I consider watchful waiting as an option? Why or why not? Do you recommend a radical prostatectomy or radiation? Why or why not? If you recommend radical prostatectomy, will it be nerve sparing? What other treatment(s) might be appropriate for me? Why? Among those treatments, what are the risks or side effects that I should expect? What are the chances that I will have problems with incontinence or impotence? What are the chances that I will have other urinary or rectal problems? What are the chances of recurrence of my cancer with the treatment programs we have discussed? Should I follow a special diet? In addition to these questions, you may want to write down some of your own. For instance, ask about recovery time so that you can plan your work schedule. If you are younger, you'll want to discuss your plans for children and if there is a possibility you could become impotent or sterile. You also may want to ask about second opinions or about clinical trials for which you may qualify. Get more information about prostate cancer and for a list of additional questions to ask your doctor. ACS :: What Should You Ask Your Doctor About Prostate Cancer? Questions to Ask Your Doctor - Prostate Cancer Foundation Prostate cancer, Questions to ask your doctor National Prostate Cancer Coalition: Making Treatment Decisions: Questions to Ask