Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get Started
close window
Housecall Archives
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staffWhen you receive a diagnosis of prostate cancer, you may experience a range of feelings — including disbelief, fear, anger, anxiety and depression. With time, each man finds his own way of coping with a prostate cancer diagnosis. Until you find what works for you, try to:
- Learn enough about prostate cancer to feel comfortable making treatment decisions. Learn as much as you can about your cancer and its treatment. Having a better idea of what to expect from treatment and life after treatment can make you feel more in control of your cancer. Ask your doctor, nurse or other health care professional to recommend some reliable sources of information to get you started.
- Keep your friends and family close. Your friends and family can provide support during and after your treatment. Friends and family can help with the small tasks you won't have energy for during treatment. And having a close friend or family member to talk to can be helpful when you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
- Connect with other cancer survivors. Friends and family can't always understand what it's like to face cancer. Other cancer survivors provide a unique network of support. Ask your doctor or other member of your health care team about support groups or organizations in your community that can connect you with other cancer survivors. Organizations such as the American Cancer Society offer online chat rooms and discussion boards.
- Take care of yourself. Take care of yourself during cancer treatment by eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables. Try to exercise most days of the week. Get enough sleep each night so that you wake feeling rested.
- Continue sexual expression. If you experience erectile dysfunction, your natural reaction may be to avoid all sexual contact. But consider touching, holding, hugging and caressing as ways to continue sharing sexuality with your partner.
References
- Nelson WG, et al. Prostate cancer. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1653.
- Prostate cancer. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/prostate.pdf. Accessed Jan. 6, 2010.
- What you need to know about prostate cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/prostate/allpages/print. Accessed Jan. 7, 2010.
- Loeb S, et al. Risk factors, prevention and early detection of prostate cancer. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2009;36:603.
- Prostate cancer early detection. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/prostate_detection.pdf. Accessed Jan. 6, 2010.
- Prostate cancer prevention (PDQ) health professional version. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/prevention/prostate/healthprofessional/allpages/print. Accessed Jan. 7, 2010.
- Urinary dysfunction. Prostate Cancer Foundation. http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/side_effects/urinary_dysfunction. Accessed Jan. 11, 2010.
- Erectile dysfunction. Prostate Cancer Foundation. http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/side_effects/erectile_dysfunction. Accessed Jan. 11, 2010.
- Surgical management of prostate cancer. American Urological Association Foundation. http://www.urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=04&topic=130. Accessed Jan. 11, 2010.
- McClure MW. Prostate cancer. In: Rakel D. Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/178018505-4/0/1494/0.html. Accessed Jan. 11, 2010.
- Distress management. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/distress.pdf. Accessed Jan. 11, 2010.
- Castle EP (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz. Jan. 23, 2010.
- Dawson NA. Overview of treatment for advanced prostate cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 25, 2010.
- Cryoablation for prostate cancer. UrologyHealthy.org. http://www.urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=04&topic=42. Accessed Jan. 25, 2010.
- Ahmed HU, et al. Minimally-invasive technologies in uro-oncology: The role of cryotherapy, HIFU and photodynamic therapy in whole gland and focal therapy of localised prostate cancer. Surgical Oncology. 2009;18:2189.
- Found 332 studies with search of: Prostate cancer AND chemotherapy. ClincalTrials.gov. http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=prostate+cancer+AND+chemotherapy. Accessed Jan. 25, 2010.
