Table of Contents

Chapter 1: What Does a Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer Mean?

c. The Team Approach to Prostate Cancer

A study published just a few years ago showed that urologists and radiation oncologists largely agree that the different treatment options for localized prostate cancer are probably equally effective. Nevertheless, assuming that you are a viable candidate for either approach, each group of specialists would still recommend the treatment option that he or she can provide—urologists would recommend surgery and radiation oncologists would recommend radiation.

The lesson to be learned from this study is not that doctors can’t be trusted, or that they’re more invested in their own best interests than in yours. The real lesson to be learned from this study is that prostate cancer specialists understand the ins and outs of their own field best of all, and are far more comfortable recommending therapies in that arena than outside of that arena. They therefore have an obligation to present to you the best information that they can deliver based on the knowledge that they have.

You have an obligation to yourself seek knowledge from all sources before making any treatment decisions. This is why it is important that you surround yourself with a team of physicians to discuss the different options. Talk with a urologist about surgical options; talk with a radiation oncologist about radiation options; talk with a medical oncologist about drug therapy options; talk with all of them about whether enrolling in a clinical trial might be a good choice for you. Most importantly, be sure that each doctor you see has access to your complete medical record, including biopsy, ultrasound, CT, and/or MRI reports.

During the course of your disease treatment, you might receive several different types of treatments over a long period of time. It is important that you keep all of your doctors informed about your progress and about what treatments you are getting, and that they communicate regularly with you and with each other to ensure that you’re receiving the best care possible.

In many of the larger cancer centers across the country, multidisciplinary teams of physicians work together on a regular basis. But even if you don’t have access to those teams, there’s no reason you can’t build your own. Together, you and your multidisciplinary team of physicians will be able to decide on a treatment course that’s right for you.