A prostate cancer diagnosis can bring a lot of questions at once. You’re probably trying to make sense of PSA results, biopsy findings, scans and treatment options at a time when you are still processing the diagnosis itself.
What happens next depends on the characteristics of your cancer, your general health and what matters to you.
Hunter Valley Oncology provides specialist medical oncology care for men with prostate cancer across the Hunter region. Our team can help you understand your diagnosis, discuss your treatment options and work alongside the other specialists looking after you.
About your prostate cancer diagnosis
Prostate cancer is not the same for everyone. Your doctors will consider a range of things before recommending what happens next, including:
These results and differences help determine which treatments are likely to make up your care plan.
Who is involved in your prostate cancer care
Prostate cancer care can involve several specialists, each responsible for different parts of diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.
Urologist
Involved in the diagnosis of prostate cancer, a urologist may discuss monitoring, surgery and other aspects of prostate and urinary care with you.
Radiation Oncologist
A specialist in radiation therapy that can explain if this form of treatment is an option for your cancer and what treatment looks like.
Medical Oncologist
In the context of prostate cancer, a medical oncologist specialises in cancer treatments that work throughout the body, including hormone treatments such as androgen deprivation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and other drug treatments.
General Practitioner
Your GP remains an important part of your care team, providing referrals, support for other health concerns and your ongoing care.
Experienced Cancer Nurse
A registered nurse, specifically experienced in cancer and prostate cancer care, can help you understand what to expect, manage side effects, coordinate appointments and identify when you may need additional support.
Radiologist
Expertly interprets imaging such as MRI, CT, bone scans and other scans used to investigate, stage or monitor prostate cancer. Their findings help your treating specialists understand where the cancer is and if it has changed after treatment.
Pathologist
Examines blood tests, biopsy samples and other tissue or fluid samples, reporting important information about the type, grade and characteristics of your prostate cancer.
Allied Health Professionals
Healthcare professionals that help support your physical and emotional wellbeing before, during and after treatment, including physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, psychologists, occupational therapists and social workers.
When does a medical oncologist become involved?
Not everyone diagnosed with prostate cancer needs to see a medical oncologist straight away, such as with some early and lower-risk cancers. Instead, the cancer is actively monitored with PSA tests, imaging and further biopsies if needed, until there are signs that the cancer is changing.
A medical oncologist is more likely to become involved if the cancer:
Medical oncology may also become relevant at a later stage, even if your initial treatment is managed by a urologist or radiation oncologist.
Understanding your prostate cancer treatment options
There is no single prostate cancer treatment that suits everyone. Depending on the stage and characteristics of your cancer, options discussed with you may include:
Active surveillance
Some lower-risk cancers may be closely monitored rather than treated immediately.
Surgery
A prostatectomy could be considered for cancer that is contained within the prostate or surrounding area.
Radiation therapy
Radiation may be used as a primary treatment or at another stage of care depending on the cancer and previous treatment.
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)
ADT, or hormone therapy, lowers or blocks hormones that help prostate cancer grow. It can be used alongside other treatments and is an integral part of treatment when prostate cancer has spread.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses medicines that directly damage or destroy rapidly dividing cancer cells and may be considered when the cancer has spread or requires further treatment after surgery or radiation therapy.
Immunotherapy
Based on your cancer’s characteristics and previous treatments, immunotherapy helps the immune system recognise and respond to cancer.
Targeted therapy and other drug treatments
Targeted therapies act on specific features that help cancer cells grow or survive. In prostate cancer, this includes PARP inhibitors for cancers with certain DNA-repair gene changes. These medicines interfere with the cancer cell’s ability to repair damaged DNA. Other drug treatments may be prescribed to strengthen bones and relieve symptoms.
Care decisions are about more than treating the cancer
When several treatment options are available, the decision may involve more than which treatment targets the cancer.
Prostate cancer and its treatment can affect urinary function, sexual function, energy, mood, relationships, work and day-to-day life. Different treatments can also have different side effects and recovery periods.
These issues deserve to be part of the conversation from the beginning. At Hunter Valley Oncology, we encourage you to speak openly with our specialists about what is important to you. This could include maintaining work or family responsibilities, existing health conditions, staying physically active, support at home or thinking about travel for treatment.
Your priorities do not sit separately from your medical care. They help your team understand what needs to be considered when discussing the options available to you.
Support during and after prostate cancer treatment
Prostate cancer can affect more than physical health. Changes to continence, sexual function, energy, mood and relationships can be difficult to talk about, but they are important parts of cancer care.
Support could involve specialist nursing, physiotherapy, exercise physiology, psychology, dietetics, social work, sexual health support, your GP or community cancer services.
There may also be practical things worth organising before treatment begins, including time away from work, lighter duties, transport to appointments or help at home during treatment and recovery.
Talking about these concerns early gives you and your care team more time to plan around them rather than waiting until they become difficult to manage.
What to expect at your first Hunter Valley Oncology appointment
If your GP, urologist or another treating specialist has referred you to Hunter Valley Oncology, your first appointment will be a discussion around your prostate cancer diagnosis, treatment options and how the specialists and team can support your care.
Your medical oncologist will review your diagnosis, biopsy and scan results, previous treatments, current medications, medical history and any symptoms or concerns you may have. The oncologist will cover:
Please bring your referral, available scan and pathology reports, a current list of medications and supplements, and any questions you would like to discuss. You are also welcome to bring your partner, family member or another trusted person for support.
Prostate Cancer Oncology Care in the Hunter Region
Hunter Valley Oncology provides specialist medical oncology care for men with prostate cancer across Maitland, Newcastle, Gateshead and the surrounding Hunter region.
If you have recently been diagnosed, your prostate cancer has returned or you have been told it has spread, speak with your GP, urologist or other treating specialist about a referral to Hunter Valley Oncology.
This article is for general information and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. All medical procedures carry risks, and outcomes vary between individuals. Always seek the advice of your GP, specialist, or another appropriately qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Where further or specialised care is required, your treating practitioner can provide referral.