4 things to do after a prostate cancer diagnosis

Being proactive after a prostate cancer diagnosis and starting on the road to treatment and recovery is important. Here is what you need to know about taking the next steps.

Receiving your initial prostate cancer diagnosis is a difficult time in your life. You probably feel upset, confused and even hopeless. Being diagnosed with prostate cancer is scary, but what you do next can determine how successful treatment options will be.

Coping with a diagnosis is often a matter of understanding what is happening in your body. Researching prostate cancer is a great place to start when you have been diagnosed with this type of cancer. Your doctor will explain the basics about treatment, but medical professionals may leave out the details regarding the disease itself.

After you have learned more about prostate cancer, you need to know about your specific diagnosis. There are four different stages of prostate cancer. Determining which stage your cancer is in will impact your treatment options and your outlook.

• Stage I prostate cancer is limited to the prostate. It has not yet spread to other parts of the body, and the tumour will be very small.
• Stage II prostate cancer is still limited to the prostate, but the tumour is larger.
• Stage III prostate cancer spreads beyond the prostate, but it is still contained to a specific area.
• Stage IV prostate cancer spreads throughout the body.

People who have support when they are dealing with a difficult diagnosis are more likely to have a successful treatment experience. Start by turning to your immediate family to provide support. It is important to explain what you need during this process; it is common for people to think they are helping when they are actually hindering you.

Since needs differ from one patient to the next, family members who have had loved ones with cancer in the past may be unsure about how to help. Enlist friends and family members to help you get to medical appointments, ensure that you eat a healthy diet, and provide emotional support when you are feeling down about your diagnosis.

Your medical team will be working together to help you get through this difficult time. Doctors, nurses and specialists collaborate to provide a comprehensive treatment plan.

Be sure that you know the name and contact information for each of your medical providers. Be proactive after your prostate cancer diagnosis about helping your providers keep an open line of communication with everyone on your medical team.