PROSTATE CANCER IS NOT ONE ILLNESS.
It’s a broad range of conditions ranging from a few microscopic cells found on a needle biopsy, to a life-threatening metastatic condition. These extremes illustrate the immensely wide spectrum that we call “prostate cancer.” Obviously it follows that treatment should be tailored to the particulars of each individual’s need.
With prostate cancer, treatment’s impact on quality-of-life is magnified. Prostate cancer’s low malignant potential means survival is far more prolonged compared to other cancers. Bad treatment decisions negatively affect sexual and urinary function for a lifetime.
Due to unfamiliarity with the prostate cancer world, patients struggle to understand their quality-of-life priorities, never before having been confronted with high-stakes decisions affecting their sexual and urinary function. And all of this is occurring under the looming pressure of a recent cancer diagnosis.
Good decisions result from getting fair and balanced information about the long-term ramifications of all the different treatment options.