Any diagnosis of cancer is filled with anxiety, and prostate cancer is no exception. However, there are facts and strategies that can help ease that anxiety. UAB's Comprehensive Cancer Center is a leader in prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment, and our medical experts help men deal with the anxiety that accompanies a prostate cancer diagnosis. 

1. Annual screenings make early detection of prostate cancer common. Two common screenings for prostate cancer are rectal exams and prostate-specific antigens (PSA), in which a doctor examines a blood sample to check for PSA secreted by the prostate into the blood stream. UAB surgical urologist Erik Busby, M.D., says, "Because these are relatively simple screenings, the likelihood that cancer will be detected, if it is present and clinically relevant, is high."

Doreen Perkins, urology nurse practitioner, routinely works with prostate cancer patients and says, "If we see patients with elevated PSAs, we explain that we're doing a biopsy because they could have prostate cancer. But they still have anxiety. We try to talk to them about it and answer all their questions."

2. Prostate cancer is very curable. "I try to reassure my patients that, with the appropriate treatment, there's a good chance they won't be bothered by prostate cancer again," Busby says. 

"Eighty percent of prostate cancer patients have no recurrent disease after treatment," Perkins says. "We monitor their PSA after treatment, and watch for any rise in their levels. New screening methods can detect changes early, so we can still cure it even if it comes back."

3. Prostate cancer, unlike other types of cancer, typically doesn't spread to other parts of the body. Because prostate cancer is often caught early, it is typically confined to the prostate gland and hasn't spread to other parts of the body. That's not to say it can't spread, but Busby says that "doesn't happen as often as it previously did because of screening tests like PSA and rectal exams." Additionally, because prostate cancer spreads slowly, one treatment option is to do nothing in appropriately selected patients.

"We don't see prostate cancer spreading to other parts of the body like we used to," Perkins says. "Because we screen for it earlier, we have earlier detection and can diagnose it at an earlier stage, before it spreads."

4. The survival outcome of radiation treatment for prostate cancer is similar to that of surgery. Prostate cancer can be treated with either external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), radioactive seed implants (brachytherapy) or surgery. Since cancer outcomes with radiation therapy are similar to surgery, many men elect not to go under the knife. "There are pros and cons to all of the treatment options for prostate cancer.  Radiation does not carry the risk of incontinence the way surgery does and allows for quicker recovery, so many men choose radiation therapy," Busby says.

"It's important for patients to know they have options, and they have time to learn more about each treatment," Perkins says. "They have time. We have a radiation oncologist who can talk to them and answer their questions, which is a big plus for our clinic."

5. There is ample information available on prostate cancer. "One thing about prostate cancer is that there's almost too much data," Busby says. "Men often find that they can spend too much time making a decision about treatment." However, information is power, and ample research on prostate cancer allows patients to make informed decisions about their care.

Perkins suggests sticking to reputable resources, like The American Cancer Society or the National Cancer Institute . "UAB's 'Us Too' prostate cancer support group is a good place for those diagnosed with prostate cancer to talk to other men who've been diagnosed and treated. In addition, we have a patient education coordinator available to answer any questions."

Find more information about prostate cancer or its diagnosis and treatment at UAB.