| |
| |
| Introduction | |
| |
| |
| Preface | |
| |
| |
| |
| The Basics | |
| |
| |
| |
| describe the anatomy and function of the prostate, introduce the concept of prostate-specific antigen testing, and discuss some of the potential warning signs of prostate cancer: | |
| |
| |
| What is the prostate gland and what does it do? | |
| |
| |
| Do women have a prostate gland and PSA? | |
| |
| |
| What are the signs and symptoms of an enlarged prostate (either cancer-related or benign)? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Prostate Cancer | |
| |
| |
| |
| describe prostate cancer and address concerns about who is at risk for prostate cancer, including: | |
| |
| |
| What is prostate cancer? | |
| |
| |
| How common is prostate cancer? | |
| |
| |
| What are the risk factors for prostate cancer, and who is at risk? Is there anything that decreases the risk of developing prostate cancer? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Evaluation for Prostate Cancer | |
| |
| |
| |
| discuss how to screen for and detect prostate cancer: | |
| |
| |
| How do you detect prostate cancer? | |
| |
| |
| What is prostate cancer screening? | |
| |
| |
| Will my insurance cover prostate cancer screening and treatment? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Prostate Cancer Staging | |
| |
| |
| |
| 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? | |
| |
| |
| What is a bone scan? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Treatment of Prostate Cancer | |
| |
| |
| |
| outline the many options for treatment and management of prostate cancer, including: | |
| |
| |
| Why do I need a team of doctors to treat me? Who are they? | |
| |
| |
| What options do I have for treatment of my prostate cancer? | |
| |
| |
| How do I decide which treatment is best for me? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Complications of Treatment | |
| |
| |
| |
| address some of the side effects and complications that can occur with prostate cancer treatment: | |
| |
| |
| Are there any predictors of recurrence of prostate cancer after "curative" therapy? | |
| |
| |
| What happens if the PSA is rising after radiation therapy or radical prostatectomy? | |
| |
| |
| My doctor has recommended that I be involved in a clinical trial. What is a clinical trial? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Social Effects of Prostate Cancer | |
| |
| |
| |
| 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? | |
| |
| |
| I've never thought of dying before, but now that I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, I think about it and wonder if there are things that I should be doing to prepare myself for the inevitable. | |
| |
| |
| Appendix | |
| |
| |
| A list of websites, 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 | |