What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You About Prostate Cancer

If you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer, chances are you have leaned heavily on your doctor as a resource to find out all you can about your condition and the treatment options available to you. Unfortunately, doctors are not all-knowing and sometimes withhold information. This does not happen on purpose, but because you may not know the right questions to ask, doctors may not have all of the answers you need.

We have compiled a list of 10 things your physician may not be telling you about your prostate cancer. Use this list as a guideline to help you ask the right questions and get all of the facts before determining your treatment plan.

1. You Could Be Putting Yourself at Risk. Prostate cancer stretches across all demographics, but some men may be more at risk than others. Your stress levels, weight, age, ethnicity, and family medical history could all be putting you at risk for prostate cancer, and you might not even know it. Assessing your risk factors will help you determine when to get screened and what, if any, steps you can take to prevent prostate cancer from developing.

2. There Are Steps You Can Take to Lower Your Risk. You may be at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer, but the good news is you can lower your risk. For example, changing your diet and exercise regimen can have huge impacts on reducing your risk for developing prostate cancer and may even make healing from surgery easier. Talk to your doctor about your risk factors and what you can do to lower them.

3. You Should Be Getting Screened. Depending on your family medical history and your risk factors, all men between the age of 40 and 50 should be getting regularly screened for prostate cancer. PSA tests and digital rectal exams are crucial to detecting the presence of cancer early, while it’s still treatable. If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, these screenings can be used to monitor the growth of the cancer and to make sure your treatments are working.

4. PSA Tests May Not Tell the Whole Truth. Prostate specific antigen tests are notoriously unreliable. Any number of factors, from age to the use of certain medications can cause PSA levels to rise. Additionally, physicians disagree on the age at which the test should be administered (some say in a man’s 40s, others say around 50), as well as the accuracy levels of the tPSA – or, total PSA – test.

You should talk to your doctor about the accuracy of the PSA test alone as a reliable indicator of the presence of cancer. Chances are, your doctor is using the test in conjunction with a digital rectal exam or, if you have already been diagnosed with cancer, as a tool to monitor the growth of cancer.

5. Prostate Cancer May Not Require Immediate Treatment. Because prostate cancer grows slowly, most doctors monitor its growth with “active surveillance.” This process involves frequent check ups, digital rectal exams, and PSA tests.

Most men hear the word “cancer” and immediately direct their thoughts to getting it out. However, surgery is invasive and should not always be the first course of action. Discuss your options with your physician to determine the best course of action for treating your cancer.

← Complete the Life Insurance Quote Form to Begin.

May the Best Quote Win!

6. Prostate Cancer is Not a Death Warrant. According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives. However, according to the American Cancer Society, 1 in every 36 men will die from prostate cancer or complications relating to prostate cancer. So, while it is a common disease, it is not always fatal.

Being diagnosed with cancer is a crushing blow, one that puts you face-to-face with your mortality. It is important to maintain a positive outlook and to know that advances in treatments and early detection make it possible to live with prostate cancer. Knowledge is the key to successfully treating prostate cancer.

7. You Have Options. Every health history is different, as is every man’s struggle with prostate cancer. Cancer treatment should not be one-size-fits all. You have an vast number of options out there, from cryoablation to laparoscopic prostatectomy to active surveillance. You should review your options with your doctor, who will take you health history and the details of your cancer into account to find the best course of treatment for you.

8. The Full Scoop On Radical Prostatectomies. The possibilities of erectile problems and urethra damage make radical prostatectomy a daunting option, and often deter men from undergoing surgery. While surgery should not be the first option for everyone, it is important to note that radical prostatectomies aren’t as scary as you may think.

In fact, radical prostatectomies can be one of the most effective ways to treat early stage prostate cancer. Advances in laparoscopic and robotic surgeries – and a skilled surgeon – can spare nerves and eliminate worry about erectile dysfunction and negative side effects. The key to a successful recovery from a radical prostatectomy is to fully understand and review your surgery options.

9. Recovery. Cancer affects each individual differently. Sometimes the impacts are psychological or emotional and – in the cases of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation – some impacts are physical. You should be asking your doctor about resources to help you recover, both mentally and physically. Talking to a professional can help ease the emotional stresses of being diagnosed with cancer, and knowing what to expect from your treatments can help you fully prepare for recovery.

10. Treatment Breakthroughs. We have already mentioned that you have plenty of options, and your options are expanding every day. Advances in cancer treatment no longer mean cancer is synonymous with fatal. Ask your doctor for information regarding any cutting edge treatment options that may be right for you.
    

    ← Complete the Life Insurance Quote Form to Begin.

    May the Best Quote Win!

Bottom Line

By arming yourself with the right questions, you can effectively take control of your health. After being diagnosed with prostate cancer, the amount of information you are faced with can be overwhelming, but with a little research you can ensure that you aren’t left in the dark.

The same can be said about your life insurance options, arm yourself with the right life insurance agent. Let’s get started today!