Talking with Your Doctor about Advanced Prostate Cancer Progression

If your PSA is rising, the cancer has returned or spread or is no longer responding to treatment, your disease may be progressing. But how much do you really know about what is happening within your body? With your initial diagnosis, your doctor used a number of tools and tests to choose the most appropriate treatment option, weighing the risks of side effects and the probability of successfully treating the cancer. This is also true when you experience a recurrence or the cancer is not responding to treatment. You may have many pressing questions at this time, such as:

Why is the treatment not working?
What does this mean?
What options do I have?
Has my cancer spread to other parts of the body?
- If not, how can I avoid this?

Your healthcare team has the answers – it’s up to you to ask the questions.

Being diagnosed and going through treatment for advanced prostate cancer is stressful and may be one of the biggest challenges you face in your life. It is normal to feel anger, sadness, fear or frustration. Depression is a real issue for many men facing prostate cancer. It can be brought on by many factors and can also be a result of the side effects of your treatment. Do not shrug it off. Talk with your loved ones and healthcare team if you think you are depressed and determine how to tackle it. There are also various advocacy groups featured on The Road Together page, which provide resources to deal with these feelings.

Most importantly, know that you have options. Please discuss with your doctor which options are right for you.

Talking with Your Doctor about Progression

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