Questions to ask your doctor if you are diagnosed with prostate cancer

FAQ's to ask your doctor

Do you have much experience with prostate cancer cases?
What is your level of knowledge on the latest prostate cancer treatment recommendations?
Have you treated many patients within the last year?
What is your favored type of treatment?
Are you OK with me seeking a second opinion from another doctor who specialises in a different area of prostate cancer treatment?
Are many of your patients doing well following treatment?
Do you, or the hospital offer a support group?
Am I allowed to bring a family member with me for support?
Is the hospital where you perform, or send people for, treatment accredited?
What facilities does the hospital offer?

Questions to ask your doctor following a biopsy

How many samples were taken during the prostate biopsy?
What type/degree of cancer do I have, where is it located?
What is my Gleason score? Can you explain the way the Gleason Scale works to me?
Where is the cancer located within the prostate?
Is the cancer isolated to the prostate, or has it spread to other tissues/organs?
Do you have a photograph of the cancer so that I can visualise it and to follow the growth over time?
Should I have further tests?
What sort of treatment, if any do you recommend?
If the doctor is not a specialist then maybe it is worth asking him/her to recommend someone for a second opinion.

Questions to ask your doctor about watchful waiting

Why do you recommend watchful waiting as opposed to other treatments?
Given my age, what is the likelihood that prostate cancer will have a major impact on my life if I perform watchful waiting?
How often will the cancers growth be monitored?
How much would the cancer need to grow before you recommended other treatments?
How many people have you recommend watchful waiting to? What is there success rate? Is there a support group for people who take the watchful waiting approach?

Questions on therapy

How long does the operation last?
How long will I likely be in hospital?
What is the usual recovery period following an operation?
How experienced is the surgeon?
How likely is the operation to be successful?

Questions to ask on specific prostate cancer treatments

Will I require a catheter for brachytherpy?
What is the brahytherapy procedure?
How long will the brachytherapy procedure last?
Will it be painful?
Will there be side effects of brachytherapy?

How long does it take to perform external radiation treatments?
How many times must I undergo the process?
What are the side effects of external radiation treatment?

What options do I have for hormone treatment therapy.
Which hormones/drugs do you recommend to use and why?
What are the likely side effects to hormonal prostate cancer treatment?