Prostate Cancer and the Man You Love

Anne Katz, PhD, RN, FAAN, works as a clinical nurse specialist and certified sexuality counselor at CancerCare Maitoba in Winnipeg, Canada. She supports men with prostate cancer and their partner through prostate cancer, from diagnosis and into survivorship. This book is her 15th publication and a complete revision of the first edition of Prostate Cancer and The Man You Love.

A decade ago, Katz published her first edition of this valuable guide for the partners of prostate cancer patients. Like that version, this revision provides important information about the second most common cancer in men (after skin cancer). It’s most often diagnosed in men over 50, it often shows no symptoms, and it is a “couple’s cancer” because choices like surgery, radiation, and androgen-deprivation therapy often cause erectile difficulties. (Partners should go to doctor visits together.) But beyond these basics, Katz, a nurse, also refers to new research. For example, studies show surgery can cause shortening of the penis and loss of some urine when aroused or with orgasm. To illustrate how each treatment option affects men and their loved ones, Katz shares couples’ stories about many choices, including “active surveillance” (delaying treatment). She also gives helpful “reflective questions,” such as, “What would you tell your partner if he is unsure of taking part in a clinical trial?” Like her first go round, this one is sensitively written and reassuring even when it’s covering end-of-life care for men with metastatic prostate cancer.

• 1 Introduction 2 Dealing with the New Diagnosis: “What Do We Do Now?” 3 Treatment Decision-Making: “Is This the Right Treatment?” 4 Active Surveillance: Delaying Treatment 5 Radical Prostatectomy: “When It’s Gone, There’s No Needto Worry” 6 Radiation Therapy: “What Other Options Are There?” 7 When Cancer Recurs: “I Thought It Was Gone for Good” 8 Androgen Deprivation Therapy: “He’s Not a Man Anymore” 9 Clinical Trials: He’d Like to Enroll 10 The Role of Communication in Relationships:“How Can We Talk about This?” 11 The Role of Support Groups: “It’s Easier to Talk toSomeone Who’s Been Through This” 12 End-of-Life Care: “We Thought He’d Be Cured” 13 Self-Care: “It’s You I’m Worried About” Index About the Author