What You Should Know About Your Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
When you go to the doctor for a checkup, the last thing you expect is to come away from the experience with a diagnosis of prostate cancer. However, if this has happened to you recently, you may be confused and unsure of what to do and what to think. In order to avoid panicking or making poor decisions about your prostate cancer diagnosis, get to know some of the facts about prostate cancer and its treatment so you can be sure you are doing what is best for you and your health going forward.
Prostate Cancer Is a Serious Diagnosis
One of the things that people tend to have in their mind about prostate cancer is that it is somehow not a big deal or a "serious" form of cancer. It is true that many people are able to overcome a prostate cancer diagnosis. However, this is not always the case. Prostate cancer now surpasses breast cancer in cancer-related deaths in England, for example. This information alone should tell you that prostate cancer is nothing to fool around with.
Do Not Immediately Decide on Watching and Waiting
When prostate cancer is in its earliest stages, there are some doctors who will tell you that it is better to watch and wait rather than try to perform any treatments or interventions. While this may seem like the easiest option and therefore, the most desirable one, you do not want to immediately jump on the watch and wait train.
It is best to go to a prostate specialist for a second opinion in such cases. The last thing you want is for your prostate cancer to spread beyond your prostate because you chose to watch and wait rather than to push forward with more aggressive treatment options.
Know There Are Many Treatment Options
Prostate cancer can be tricky. It has a high prevalence of recurrence and can metastasize (spread beyond the prostate) making it complicated to treat. However, it is important to keep in mind that there are numerous treatment options available to you for your prostate cancer.
The fact that there are so many treatment options available to you is also a part of why you should always seek a prostate specialist second opinion after your initial diagnosis. Between radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and immunotherapies, there are so many different ways to attack your prostate cancer that you need a specialist to help guide you through the process. Your prostate cancer is unique to you and your genetics and your treatment protocol should be just as custom tailored.
Now that you know a few of the facts about prostate cancer and its treatment, you can be sure that you do what is best for you and your recovery needs going forward.