A STRANGE PLACE

AN INFORMATION GUIDE
TO
PROSTATE CANCER

This is the Introduction to a 5 part Information Guide. Index

INTRODUCTION

A diagnosis of prostate cancer is shocking. Life will never be the same. Everything changes. You feel lost; you don't know what to do.

The late Robert Young was diagnosed in the latter part of 1999 with a PSA of over 1,000 ng/ml. He compared a prostate cancer diagnosis to being dropped, without your consent, into a new country. A country where the language, customs, terrain, roads and rules are all foreign. You are in a Strange Place, and it's frightening.

I intended this book to be a good travel guide to the Strange Place. It will help men (and their partners and those who are close to them) find their way around this new country. From it they can learn some of the basic language, customs and options, including the Golden Rule:

THE GOLDEN RULE OF PROSTATE CANCER IS - THERE ARE NO RULES The process of diagnosis is subjective, with significant variances in the interpretation of test results; the choice of the most appropriate treatment is difficult because of a lack of good comparative information; the outcome of any treatment is variable and unpredictable.

Despite the lack of rules, this booklet will enable you to find a path through the Forest of Fear to Diagnosis. You will be able to cross the Doubtful Desert to get to Treatment and to decide which option may suit you best. It will take you through the highs and the lows of the Plains of Recovery and may help you deal with the side effects of treatment. It will give you a significantly better chance of reaching the final goal of Remission.

Ideally, all men who have prostate problems or an elevated PSA will also read this booklet before they start on their journey. They will be able to deal with the issues they may face better than those men who were completely unprepared for the distress of diagnosis.

The goal of what follows is to provide a better understanding of some of the basic aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. It is not intended to take the place of the more personal and detailed information and advice that only a trained medical advisor can provide.

Ideally, all men who have prostate problems, an elevated PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) or even those men having their annual DRE (Digital Rectal Examination) and PSA check-up will read this book. It will help them deal more easily with what they will face if they have a positive diagnosis for prostate cancer. It will be helpful even if warning signs are discovered that may require further investigation.

Before we explore this Strange Place and all its features, I think it is important to recognize that the normal reaction to a diagnosis of prostate cancer is one of shock, dismay, fear and confusion. But uppermost in the minds of most men who have just been diagnosed with this disease are two questions:

How long have I got? What is it like to die from prostate cancer?

IF THESE QUESTIONS BOTHER YOU AND YOU WANT TO SKIP THEM, GO NOW TO THE NEXT PART: Part 1 - Preparing For The Journey BUT REMEMBER THIS:

 

TWO VERY IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT PROSTATE CANCER Prostate cancer can, and does, kill thousands of men each year throughout the world. It should not be underestimated or treated lightly. But many more men survive the disease than succumb to it. It is important to know that. Because of the high survival rates and the relatively slow progress of the disease in most men: One: No one should give up hope as far as this disease is concerned. The journey to recovery or remission through diagnosis and treatment can be a long and hard one. It is made easier by the knowledge that there is a good chance of successfully completing it. Two: There is time for men and their families to educate themselves about the disease and then to work with their medical team to make the best choices they can.

Go to Part 1 - Preparing ForThe Journey