Some general comments about treatment

There is a lot for you to think about when choosing the best way to treat or manage your cancer. There may be more than one treatment to choose from. You may feel that you need to make a decision quickly. But give yourself time to take in all the information you have learned. Talk to your doctor. Look at the list of questions at the end of this article to get some ideas. Then add your own.

The treatment you choose for prostate cancer should take into account:

• your age and how long you can expect to live
• any other serious health problems you may have
• the stage and grade of your cancer
• your feelings (and your doctor's opinion) about the need to treat the cancer
• the chance that each type of treatment will cure your cancer (or provide some other measure of benefit)
• your feelings about the side effects common with each treatment

You may want to get a second opinion, especially if you have several treatments to choose from. Prostate cancer is a complex disease, and doctors may differ in their opinions about the best treatment options. Talking with doctors who specialize in different kinds of treatment may be helpful. You will want to weigh the benefits of each treatment against its drawbacks, side effects, and risks.