Prostate Cancer

Counseling

Oncology social workers help you cope with the emotional and practical challenges of prostate cancer. Contact us at 800‑813‑HOPE (4673) or info@cancercare.org.
Learn more about counseling.

Resource Navigation

Learn more about how CancerCare Resource Navigation can help you address barriers to care.

Financial Assistance

Find resources and support to manage your financial concerns. Limited assistance from CancerCare^® is available to eligible families for cancer-related costs.

Support Groups

Connect with others in our free support groups led by oncology social workers.

We currently do not offer a prostate cancer specific group. You may consider joining our general online support groups for people with cancer. Register now.

Community Programs

Learn about and view the full calendar of our free community programs.

Specialized Programs

CancerCare offers specialized programs to address specific populations and concerns.

Coping Circle Workshops

Virtual educational and supportive workshops led by oncology social workers and qualified co-facilitators. These workshops cover numerous topics and are offered in English and Spanish.

Connect Education Workshops

Listen in by telephone or online as leading experts in oncology provide up-to-date information about cancer-related issues in one-hour workshops. Podcasts are also available.

Upcoming Workshops

General Topics

• Understanding How Health Care Disparities May Influence Your Cancer Treatment and Care, Jun 2, 2025
• Current Perspectives on the Future of Cancer Research, Jun 5, 2025
• Diverse Populations Participating in Decisions About Your Care with Your Health Care Team, Jun 17, 2025
• Children as Caregivers for a Loved One with Cancer, Jun 24, 2025

Podcasts

Prostate Cancer

• For Caregivers: Coping with Your Loved One’s Metastatic Prostate Cancer, Nov 12, 2024
• Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Current Treatment Advances, Oct 29, 2024
• Highlights from the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting: The Art and Science of Cancer Care from Comfort to Cure, Aug 15, 2024

General Topics

• Cancer & the Workplace: Understanding Your Legal Protections, Apr 30, 2025
• Understanding the Cost of Care & Your Health Care Coverage, Apr 23, 2025
• Managing Eye and Vision Changes Related to Cancer Treatments, Apr 21, 2025
• Trends in Oncology & Treatment Planning: A Guide to Getting the Best Care, Apr 16, 2025
• Coping with Cancer, Mar 12, 2025
• Understanding the Different Names for Biomarker Testing and Their Role in Selecting the Best Treatment for You, Mar 10, 2025
• Understanding the Important Role that Biomarker Testing Plays in Informing the Treatment of Cancer, Mar 3, 2025
• Clinical Trials: How They Transform the Treatment of Cancer, Feb 4, 2025
• Understanding Treatment-Related Skin Toxicity: Practical Tips to Cope with Rash, Dry/Itchy/Peeling Skin and Nail Changes, Jan 17, 2025
• Cancer in the Workplace, Health Insurance, Finances and Returning to School, Dec 13, 2024
• Challenges Young Adults with Cancer Face: Coping Tips, Dec 6, 2024
• Chemotherapy: Novel Approaches to Prevent and Manage Gastrointestinal Treatment Side Effects, Nov 22, 2024
• Caregiving for Your Loved One with Cancer, Sep 23, 2024
• Current Perspectives on Cancer Survivorship, Sep 10, 2024
• Current Perspectives on the Future of Cancer Research, Jun 27, 2024
• How Health Care Disparities May Influence Your Cancer Treatment, Jun 17, 2024
• What’s New in Precision Medicine, Jun 12, 2024
• Caring for Your Loved One with Cancer, May 13, 2024
• Diverse Populations Participating in Decisions about Your Care, Apr 22, 2024
• Managing Eye and Vision Changes Related to Cancer Treatments, Apr 8, 2024
• Understanding the Different Names for Biomarker Testing & Their Role in Selecting the Best Treatment for You, Mar 4, 2024
• Chemotherapy: Novel Approaches to Prevent and Manage Gastrointestinal Treatment Side Effects, Feb 16, 2024
• Understanding the Important Role that Biomarker Testing Plays in Informing the Treatment of Cancer, Feb 12, 2024
• Young Adult Survivorship: Fertility, Sexuality and Intimacy, Feb 9, 2024
• Addressing the LGBTQI+ Health Disparities Gap, Jan 19, 2024
• Challenges Young Adults with Cancer Face: Coping Tips, Dec 15, 2023
• Current Perspectives on Cancer Survivorship, Nov 28, 2023
• Diverse Populations Participating in Decisions About Your Care With Your Health Care Team, Jun 28, 2023
• Understanding Diagnostic Technologies and Biomarkers, Jun 26, 2023
• Addressing the LGBTQI+ Health Disparities Gap, Jun 16, 2023
• Taking Your Pills on Schedule: Its Importance in Managing Cancer, May 24, 2023
• Understanding How Health Care Disparities May Influence Your Cancer Treatment and Care: With Tips and Strategies to Find the Best Cancer Treatment and Health Care Team for You, May 15, 2023
• Current Perspectives on Cancer Survivorship, May 2, 2023
• Taking Your Pills on Schedule: Why It Is So Important in Managing Cancer, May 4, 2022
• Current Perspectives on Cancer Survivorship, May 3, 2022
• Current Perspectives on Cancer Survivorship, Feb 9, 2021
• The 9/11 Community, Cancer & COVID-19, Jan 25, 2021
• Managing the Cost of Living with Cancer, Sep 23, 2020
• Veterans Living with Cancer, Jun 26, 2020
• What are Biosimilars? Understanding Their Role in Cancer Treatment: Current and Future Perspectives, Jun 18, 2020
• Current Perspectives in Cancer Survivorship, Jun 16, 2020
• Cancer and The Workplace: Understanding Your Legal Protections, Mar 25, 2020
• Understanding the Costs of Care and Your Health Care Coverage, Mar 18, 2020
• Joys and Challenges of Pets in Your Home When You Have Cancer, Apr 8, 2019
• Mind Body Techniques to Cope with the Stresses of Cancer, Nov 15, 2017
• Managing Sensory Disruptions During Cancer Treatments, Dec 5, 2016
• Nutrition and Healthy Eating Tips During and After Cancer Treatments, Feb 1, 2016

Publications

Read or order our free Connect booklets and fact sheets offering easy-to-read information about the latest cancer treatments, managing side effects and coping with cancer.

Prostate Cancer

• Treatment Update: Prostate CancerNew
• After a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: Questions to Ask Your Doctor
• Caregiving for a Loved One With Prostate Cancer
• Coping With Prostate Cancer
• Prostate Cancer: What You Should Know About Screening and Diagnosis

General Topics

• Coping With Cancer: Tools to Help You LiveNew
• Caregiving for Your Loved One With Cancer
• Talking to Children When a Loved One Has Cancer
• Communicating With Your Health Care Team
• Sources of Financial Assistance
• Finding Resources in Your Community
• If You've Just Been Diagnosed
• What Can I Say to a Newly Diagnosed Loved One?
• Advice for Caregivers: How Can You Help Yourself?

Ask CancerCare

Every month, featured experts answer your questions about coping with cancer. View all questions and answers.

Prostate Cancer

• Q.

  I have just had a surgery for prostate cancer. When will I be able to be sexually active? Is there anything I should do and how do I explain things to my partner?

  A.

  The first step is to talk to your urologist about your concerns. The most common problem following surgery for prostate cancer is erectile dysfunction (ED), or the inability to achieve an erection. ED does not affect your ability to reach orgasm, which is a separate but related process. You should begin to be intimate with your partner when your urologist feels you are appropriately healed. You and your partner’s ability to find other ways to be intimate that do not require an erection can help you on your road to recovery. In the meantime, you can ask to be referred to an urologist who specializes in ED. Some physicians have their patients use an ED medication to help in the recovery process.

  Many partners need reassurance that the person with cancer still has an interest in being intimate, and vice versa. Interest is not only about physical attraction but in how you both feel and think about your relationship together. Your partner may be concerned that expressing a wish to be intimate again will be a source of stress and upset for both of you. Being open about these concerns is the best way to examine and explore these feelings together. Talking to other men who have similar concerns may also be helpful. Here are resources to find support group:

  • CancerCare offers support groups for men coping with cancer.
  • The American Cancer Society offers a supportive program, Man-to-Man for men who have prostate cancer.
  • Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education & Support Network has chapters and support groups.

  You can find a counselor who specializes in intimacy issues, by contacting the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists.

  Answered by
  Wade Iwata, MSW, LMSW

  ∞ Direct link to this question

  Tags:

  prostate cancerintimacy and relationships
• Q.

  My father has prostate cancer and I keep seeing conflicting information about prostate cancer treatment. Are there updated treatments online anywhere?

  A.

  I hear this question more and more from prostate cancer patients and families who want the best treatment available. It is not infrequent that people seeking a second or third opinion get different treatment suggestions. This often creates frustration and uncertainty by patients and families as to which route to pursue.

  With continued research and increasing treatment options, oncologists have many treatment choices and make suggestions based on a number of factors. Some of the most important factors are:

  Type of prostate cancer: Adenocarcinoma is the most common type and accounts for 95% of all prostate cancers. Other less common types account for the other 5%.

  Stage of prostate cancer: A pathologist stages the cancer based on biopsy results. For prostate cancer stages are I, II, III and IV with IV being the most advanced.

  Grade of prostate cancer: Additionally, pathologists grade prostate cancer according to the Gleason score, which assigns a grade from 1 to 5 based on how the cancerous cells look compared to normal prostate cells. The grade refers to how aggressive the type of prostate cancer is.

  Once these factors are determined, the surgeon/radiologist/oncologist takes into account a patient’s age, other health issues, and lifestyle to determine the best treatment options for each individual. Potential short and long-term side effects will be discussed with the patient and family at this time, which can strongly impact patient’s quality of life post treatment.

  With these factors in mind, patients and families determine what treatments to pursue. Some cancer doctors prefer to be more aggressive based on their experience and others see reason to be cautious, expecting to get similar results while avoiding difficult side effects.

  This is often a good time for patients and families to meet with a social worker or nurse to explore their goals post treatment and make an informed decision. Along with the links above, for more information on prostate cancer treatment options and clinical trials it can be helpful to contact the National Cancer Institute at 1-800-4-CANCER (422-6237) and speak to a cancer information specialist who can assemble a packet of information that will help you make the best informed decision for you and your loved one.

  And finally, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) provides prostate cancer treatment guidelines.

  Answered by
  Richard Dickens, MS, FAOSW, LCSW-R

  ∞ Direct link to this question

  Tags:

  prostate cancertreatment

From Our Blog

• Top News and Trends in Cancer Research from ASCO 2015
• CancerCare Publishes New Guide to the Latest Treatment and Research Updates
• Laurence’s Story of Help and Hope
• Grant from The Horizon Foundation For New Jersey will Bring Cancer Services to Underserved Populations

Featured Resource

Magnolia Meals at Home

A meal delivery program that helps patients by providing nourishing meals to households affected by cancer. Is currently available in and around Woodcliff Lake, NJ and Andover, MA, Raleigh-Durham, NC and New Haven, CT (as well areas in New York, New Hampshire and Boston, MA). For more information please visit magnoliamealsathome.com or contact Kathy Nugent, LCSW at 800-813-4673, ext. 6809.

Stories of Help and Hope

Read inspiring personal accounts from people affected by cancer and the ways they've found to cope.

• Laurence J., Diagnosed with prostate cancer
• Mike C., Diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer