Key Features

100 Questions and Answers about Prostate Cancer
Pamela Ellsworth, MD, John A. Heaney, MD, Oliver Gill

  ▪ Concise, easy-to-read paperback book.
  ▪ The question and answer format mimics an actual physician consultation.
  ▪ Provides both the patient’s and physician’s perspective on prostate cancer.
  ▪ Written by an expert author team with extensive experience.
  ▪ Provides practical answers to questions about treatment options, quality of life, care giving, sources of
    support, and much more.

Table of Contents

Part 1. The Basics
Questions 1–10 describe the anatomy and function of the prostate, introduce the concept of prostate specific antigen testing, and discusses some of the potential warning signs of prostate cancer:
  ▪ What is the prostate gland and what does it do?
  ▪ What are the signs and symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland (either cancerous or benign)?
  ▪ What is PSA? What is the normal PSA value?

Part 2. Prostate Cancer
Questions 11–23 describe prostate cancer and address concerns about who is a risk for prostate cancer, including:
  ▪ What is prostate cancer?
  ▪ What are the risk factors for prostate cancer and who is at risk?
  ▪ Where does prostate cancer spread?

Part 3. Evaluation for Prostate Cancer
Questions 24-40 discuss how to screen for an detect prostate cancer:
  ▪ What is prostate cancer screening?
  ▪ Will my insurance company cover prostate cancer screening and treatment?
  ▪ Who decides that prostate cancer is present?

Part 4. Prostate Cancer Staging
Questions 41-45 describe how cancer is “staged” so that an appropriate treatment can be determined:
  ▪ How does one know if the prostate cancer is confined to the prostate?
  ▪ How and why does one stage prostate cancer?

Part 5. Treatment of Prostate Cancer
Questions 46-85 outline the many options for treatment and management of prostate cancer, including:
  ▪ How do I decide which treatment is best for me?
  ▪ How do I select a urologist/radiation oncologist/oncologist?
  ▪ What is radical prostatectomy? What are risks and complications of radical prostatectomy?
  ▪ What is brachytherapy/interstitial seed therapy? What are side effects/complications of interstitial seeds
    /brachytherapy?
  ▪ What are external-beam radiation therapy and conformal external-beam radiation therapy? What are the side
    effects of EBRT?
  ▪ What is cryotherapy/cryosurgery? What are the complications of cryotherapy?
  ▪ What is hormone therapy? Do I have to have an orchiectomy?
  ▪ What is hormone-refractory prostate cancer and how do you treat it?
  ▪ Is chemotherapy used for prostate cancer?
  ▪ What is watchful waiting?
  ▪ When can I consider myself cured of prostate cancer?

Part 6. Complications of Treatment
Questions 86-91 address some of the side effects and complications that can occur with prostate cancer treatment:
  ▪ What happens if the PSA is rising after radiation therapy or radical prostatectomy?
  ▪ What happens if I develop bone pain?
  ▪ What is impotence, and what happens if I become impotent after treatment for my prostate cancer?
  ▪ I am incontinent after my therapy for prostate cancer. What can I do?

Part 7: Social Effects of Prostate Cancer
Questions 92-100 discuss some of the day-to-day problems that might arise in coping with prostate cancer:
  ▪ I don’t have a job or insurance; how can I get my prostate checked?
  ▪ Are there support groups for men with prostate cancer, and if so, how do I find out about these?
  ▪ How will treatment of my prostate cancer affect my sexuality?
  ▪ I’ve just found out that I have prostate cancer and I am depressed. Is this common?
  ▪ Will I be able to do the things I used to do now that I have prostate cancer? Can I travel? Can I golf?

Appendix
A list of Web sites, organizations, and literature to help prostate cancer patients and their families find additional resources on general and specific topics related to prostate cancer.

Glossary
Index