| Introduction | 1 |
| About This Book | 1 |
| Conventions Used in This Book | 2 |
| Foolish Assumptions | 2 |
| How This Book Is Organized | 3 |
| Icons Used in This Book | 6 |
| Where to Go from Here | 6 |
| Part I | Prostate Cancer: What It Is and Is Not | 7 |
| Chapter 1 | Identifying Basic Realities of Prostate Cancer | 9 |
| Understanding What Prostate Cancer Is and Who's at Risk | 10 |
| Identifying Prostate Cancer Impostors | 10 |
| Working with Your Physicians | 11 |
| Dealing with the Effects of Your Cancer, at Work and at Home | 16 |
| Chapter 2 | Understanding the Prostate Gland and Recognizing Cancer Symptoms | 17 |
| Zeroing In on Your Prostate | 18 |
| When Good Prostates Go Bad: Symptoms That May Occur | 23 |
| Chapter 3 | Investigating Who's at Risk for Prostate Cancer | 25 |
| Aging Matters | 26 |
| Regarding Racial Risks | 27 |
| Identifying Your Genetic Risks: Tracing Your Family (Cancer) Tree | 28 |
| Considering Other Factors that May Put You at Risk | 30 |
| Possibly Linking Prostate Cancer to Vietnam War Veterans | 31 |
| Chapter 4 | Identifying Diseases That May Mimic Prostate Cancer | 33 |
| Dealing with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia | 34 |
| The Inflamed Prostate: Prostatitis | 39 |
| Looking at Bladder Infections | 42 |
| Regarding Other Possibilities | 44 |
| Part II | Getting a Diagnosis | 47 |
| Chapter 5 | Working with Your Doctor to Detect Prostate Cancer | 49 |
| Reporting Your Medical History to Your Doctor | 50 |
| The Digital Rectal Exam: You Can Get Through It | 53 |
| Pondering the PSA | 56 |
| Looking at Other Lab Work | 58 |
| Keeping in Touch with Your PCP | 59 |
| If Cancer Isn't Found | 60 |
| Chapter 6 | Diagnosing and Treating Prostate Cancer with the Help of Specialists | 61 |
| Getting the Gist of Urologists and Oncologists | 61 |
| Finding a Good Specialist | 63 |
| What's Up, Doc? Questions to Ask When Considering a Specialist | 67 |
| Talking Effectively with Your Specialist | 68 |
| Testing, Testing! Important Tests the Specialist May Order | 69 |
| Chapter 7 | Understanding the Biopsy | 73 |
| So What Is a Prostate Biopsy, Anyway? | 73 |
| Understanding Information Biopsies Can Provide | 74 |
| Looking at How Biopsies Are Performed | 75 |
| Preparing for and Having a Biopsy | 76 |
| Understanding the Biopsy Report | 79 |
| Chapter 8 | Staging and Grading the Cancer | 83 |
| Staging and Grading Basics | 83 |
| Making the Grade with the Gleason Score | 84 |
| Staging with the TNM System | 88 |
| Grouping Stage, Grade, and PSA Together | 93 |
| Part III | Getting to Wellness: Treating Prostate Cancer | 95 |
| Chapter 9 | Making a Treatment Plan | 97 |
| Considering Your Own Personal Situation | 98 |
| Analyzing Your Doctor's Recommendations | 100 |
| Thinking about Short-and Long-Term Plans | 100 |
| Planning Treatment for Localized Cancer | 102 |
| Pondering the Options for Advanced Cancer | 107 |
| Chapter 10 | Mastering Your Fears | 111 |
| Fear and Frustration Are Normal--It's How You Handle Them that Counts | 112 |
| Dealing with the "D" Word: The Fear of Death | 112 |
| Coping with Fears of Impotence | 114 |
| Dealing with Fears of Urinary Incontinence | 116 |
| Fearing Infertility | 116 |
| Worrying about Change at Work and Home | 117 |
| Seeking Support from Support Groups | 119 |
| Chapter 11 | Prostatectomy: A Mainstay Treatment for Prostate Cancer | 123 |
| Defining Radical Prostatectomy | 124 |
| Understanding the Reasoning Behind Your Doctor's Recommendation | 125 |
| Deciding If Surgery Is Right for You | 126 |
| Basic Info on the Prostatectomy Procedures | 130 |
| Scheduling and Preparing for Surgery | 136 |
| Recovering from Surgery | 139 |
| When Surgery Isn't Enough | 144 |
| Chapter 12 | Destroying the Cancer with Radiation Therapy | 147 |
| Defining Radiation | 147 |
| Understanding the Reasoning Behind Your Doctor's Recommendation | 149 |
| Deciding If Radiation Is Right for You | 150 |
| Basic Info on Radiation Procedures | 154 |
| Chapter 13 | Slowing the Cancer with Hormones | 163 |
| Basic Info on Hormone Therapy | 164 |
| Understanding Your Doctor's Recommendation | 169 |
| Deciding If Hormone Therapy Is Right for You | 170 |
| Preparing for Hormone Therapy | 174 |
| Pondering Treatment for Patients with Initially Advanced or Resistant Cancer | 174 |
| Chapter 14 | Considering Cutting-edge Treatments | 177 |
| Icing the Cancer: Cryosurgery | 177 |
| Turning Up the Heat: Microwave Therapy | 180 |
| Looking at Gene Therapy and Immune Therapy | 181 |
| Evaluating Experimental Drug Therapy | 183 |
| Joining Clinical Studies | 184 |
| Chapter 15 | Treating Very Advanced Cancer | 185 |
| Looking at Your Treatment Options | 185 |
| Managing Difficult Symptoms and Side Effects | 189 |
| Part IV | Changing Your Lifestyle to Combat Prostate Cancer | 193 |
| Chapter 16 | Stress-busting When You Need It Most | 195 |
| Easing Stress with Relaxation Therapy | 196 |
| Pulsing Down with Biofeedback | 199 |
| Looking Into Your Eyes: Understanding Hypnotherapy | 200 |
| Pondering Meditation and Prayer | 201 |
| Battling Depression | 202 |
| Benefiting from Counseling | 203 |
| Chapter 17 | Working on a Healthy Lifestyle | 207 |
| Benefiting from Exercise | 207 |
| Dropping a Few Pounds | 209 |
| Doing Away with Unhealthy Habits | 211 |
| Chapter 18 | Alternative Remedies | 217 |
| Weighing the Pros and Cons | 218 |
| Considering Vitamin E and Selenium | 219 |
| Fighting Prostate Cancer with Your Diet | 223 |
| Checking Out Other Alternative Remedies | 225 |
| Easing Treatment Side Effects with Alternative Remedies | 226 |
| Part V | Coping with the Aftermath Effects of Prostate Cancer | 229 |
| Chapter 19 | Resolving Erectile Problems | 231 |
| Considering Causes of Erectile Dysfunction | 232 |
| Finding Natural Ways to Improve Your Love Life | 234 |
| Uplifting Experiences: Devices That May Help | 235 |
| Happily Ever After with Viagra and Other Medications | 237 |
| Considering Penile Implant Surgery | 241 |
| Chapter 20 | Dealing with Urinary Incontinence | 247 |
| Identifying Incontinence | 247 |
| Padding the Problem | 251 |
| Drying Out: Working on Solutions | 252 |
| Chapter 21 | What to Do When Treatment Doesn't Wipe Out Cancer | 259 |
| Recognizing the Signs of a Recurrence | 260 |
| Don't Panic, Work with Your Doctor | 262 |
| Evaluating Your Treatment Choices | 263 |
| Part VI | Handling Work and Family | 269 |
| Chapter 22 | Coping with Cancer on the Job | 271 |
| Explaining Prostate Cancer to Your Boss and Co-Workers | 272 |
| Identifying Laws that Cover Serious Illness | 273 |
| Thinking about Applying for Short- or Long-term Disability | 275 |
| Checking Out the Social Security Disability | 277 |
| Chapter 23 | Helping Friends and Family Understand Prostate Cancer | 283 |
| Explaining Your Illness | 284 |
| Dealing with Your Partner's Reactions | 285 |
| Explaining Cancer to Your Kids | 289 |
| Chapter 24 | Helping a Loved One Cope with Prostate Cancer | 295 |
| Dealing with Your Own Fears and Emotions | 296 |
| Comforting Your Loved One | 297 |
| Advice for Wives and Significant Others | 300 |
| Part VII | The Part of Tens | 309 |
| Chapter 25 | Ten Myths and Realities about Prostate Cancer | 311 |
| Myth #1 | Prostate Cancer Is Solely an Elderly Man's Disease | 311 |
| Myth #2 | If You Have Cancer, You'll Know Because of the Symptoms | 312 |
| Myth #3 | When Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer, Death Is Inevitable | 312 |
| Myth #4 | Nobody Dies of Prostate Cancer | 312 |
| Myth #5 | You Caused Your Cancer | 313 |
| Myth #6 | Surgery or Radiation Is Always Best | 313 |
| Myth #7 | You'll Become Permanently Disabled | 313 |
| Myth #8 | Impotence Always Follows Treatment | 314 |
| Myth #9 | Prostate Cancer Always Makes Men Incontinent | 314 |
| Myth #10 | Your Partner Will Dump You | 315 |
| Chapter 26 | Ten Must-do's for Everyone Battling Prostate Cancer | 317 |
| Locate a Good Doctor You Can Trust | 317 |
| Tell Your Loved Ones (At Least Your Partner) About Your Cancer | 318 |
| Consider Bringing Someone to Your Doctor Visits | 318 |
| Ask Your Doctor Questions | 318 |
| Adopting a Healthy Lifestyle | 319 |
| Consider Different Treatment Options | 319 |
| Get a Second Opinion on Treatment, but Don't Endlessly Search | 319 |
| When You Decide on a Treatment, Don't Delay Needlessly | 320 |
| Research Prostate Cancer | 320 |
| Talk to Others Who Have Prostate Cancer | 321 |
| Chapter 27 | Ten Ways to Beat the Blues | 323 |
| Enjoying Activities with Your Family | 323 |
| Realizing that Prostate Cancer Is Highly Treatable | 324 |
| Praying Helps | 324 |
| During Treatment, Imagine Cancer Cells Dying | 324 |
| Getting Out of the House Can Life Your Spirits | 325 |
| Exercising Can Infuse You with Energy | 325 |
| Accept that Having Cancer Is Undeniably Tough | 325 |
| Reuniting with an Old Friend or Family Member | 326 |
| Participating in Activities You Enjoy | 326 |
| Considering Therapy When Depression Overwhelms You | 326 |
| Appendix A | Glossary | 327 |
| Appendix B | Resources | 333 |
| Finding Support in Organizations and Support Groups | 333 |
| Utilizing the Web | 334 |
| Web sites | 334 |
| E-mail lists | 334 |
| Newsgroups | 335 |
| Online newsletters | 335 |
| Index | 337 |