1. What causes prostate cancer?

A: While one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, its cause is unknown, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The risk is higher in African-American men, among who one in five will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. The majority of cases of prostate cancer are sporadic, which means that one person in the family developed prostate cancer by chance at a typical age of onset. In these cases, other male relatives have little to no increased risk of developing prostate cancer.  However, studies have found a trend of an increased chance to develop prostate cancer, with an increasing number of family members. In other words, the more relatives you have with prostate cancer, the higher your risk.Our Patient Navigator, Renee Sevy-Hasterok is available to answer any questions you may have, as well as coordinate access to all programs and services offered by the Prostate Cancer Center and its members. To reach her, please call (678) 843-5665 or send an e-mail to renee.sevy@emoryhealthcare.org.

2. What are the survival rates for prostate cancer?

A: In the past 20 years, the five-year prostate cancer survival rate for all stages combined has increased from 67 percent to nearly 100 percent, according to statistics from the American Cancer Society (ACS). Also, the ACS claims that more than 90 percent of all prostate cancers are discovered while they are either localized (confined to the prostate) or regional (nearby). The five-year survival rate for men diagnosed with prostate tumors discovered at these stages is 100 percent.While the fear of having prostate cancer can be devastating to men, it is most successfully treated when found early. Early prostate cancer may not present any symptoms and can only be found with regular prostate examinations by your physician. These tests can often detect, or help rule out, prostate cancer. Learn More>> Free prostate cancer screening at Saint Joseph's.Follow-up visits with your physician are extremely important if you have had an unusual DRE (digital rectal examination), or if your PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level is high. Your physician may order additional tests or suggest repeating the PSA tests.

3. Is there a charge for the services of the Patient Navigator?

A: There is no charge for the services of the Patient Navigator. All patients at the Prostate Cancer Center at Saint Joseph’s (PCC) receive the services and support of our specially-trained Patient Navigator as part of the interdisciplinary treatment team. Our Patient Navigator, Renee Sevy-Hasterok, is available to answer any questions you may have, as well as coordinate access to all programs and services offered by the Prostate Cancer Center and its members. To reach her, please call (678) 843-5665 or send an e-mail to renee.sevy@emoryhealthcare.org. She can help:

- Secure consultation appointments with a surgeon and/or radiation oncologist so all treatment options can be considered. If you wish to secure an appointment with one or more of the physicians on our team, please click here for more information. 

- Answer questions that may arise between visits to the doctor

- Provide basic information to help patients better understand prostate cancer and their treatment options

- Connect patients with one another

- Connect patients and their families with the prostate cancer support group at Saint Joseph’s as well as in the community

- Connect patients with other cancer programs and services at Saint Joseph’s such as those sponsored by the Cancer Survivors’ Network and community resources for services such as nutrition classes, yoga classes, and cancer education programs

4. Are there any prostate cancer support groups at Saint Joseph's?

A: Support can come from many sources including your spouse, family, and friends. But sometimes, support from others who have been through what you’re going through can be especially helpful. It is for this reason that the PCC sponsors a prostate cancer support group every month. We recognize how important peer support can be as patients learn about prostate cancer, their treatment options, and ways to handle the potential side effects and after effects of treatment.

You do not need to be patient at Saint Joseph’s to participate and there is no charge to attend. The group follows an informal agenda with group members driving the topics of discussion. The group is professionally facilitated with the goal of offering peer support in a comfortable and confidential setting. Click here for the dates and times of upcoming groups and plan to join us. Please call (678) 843-5665 or email renee.sevy@emoryhealthcare.org for parking instructions and to verify the meeting location. 

5. Are there any prostate cancer support groups that my spouse can attend with me?

A: Spouses/partners are invited to attend both of our monthly prostate cancer support groups. Click here for the dates and times of upcoming groups. Prostate cancer is often referred to as a “couples disease,” so support for the caregiver/spouse is very important. Our groups offer peer support from other caregivers in an informal and confidential setting. 

Learn more and plan to join us at an upcoming group. Please call (678) 843-5665 or email renee.sevy@emoryhealthcare.orgfor parking instructions and to verify the meeting location.

6. I would like to make a consultation appointment to discuss my treatment options. Who should I consult with and  how do I secure that appointment? 

 A: To establish which treatment would be the best option for you based on your specific situation, we rcommend that you consult with both a surgeon and radiation oncologist.  These consultations will provide you with the information that you need to make a well informed and educated decision about your treatment plan. Our Patient Navigator is here to help you secure these consultation appointment(s). To reach Renee Sevy Hasterok, LMSW, our patient navigator, please call (678) 843-5665 or renee.sevy@emoryhealthcare.org.   To begin the process online, click here for more information. You are not required to consult with both a surgeon and radiation oncologist, it is simply our recommendation.

Learn More>> Making the Treatment Decision Informational Seminars are free monthly seminars that provide clear, unbiased information on the treatment options available for prostate cancer. Spouses and adult family members are welcome to attend. Bring your questions, a physician will answer your questions during the final 30 minutes of the session.

7. There is so much information about prostate cancer on the Internet. Which Websites do you recommend for the best and most accurate information about prostate cancer?

A: We recommend that you stick to well-known organizations and institutions for the most reliable information. Government websites (such as National Cancer Institute), known medical institutions (such as Johns Hopkins), and national cancer organizations (such as the American Cancer Society) all offer a wide range of information on prostate cancer and are easy to navigate.

MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, has the following advice for evaluating the quality of health information on Web sites. They offer the following suggestions:

Consider the source--Use recognized authorities. Know who is responsible for the content.

• Look for an "about us" page. Check to see who runs the site: is it a branch of the Federal Government, a non-profit institution, a professional organization, a health system, a commercial organization or an individual.

• There is a big difference between a site that says, "I developed this site after my heart attack" and one that says, "This page on heart attack was developed by health professionals at the American Heart Association."

• Web sites should have a way to contact the organization or webmaster. If the site provides no contact information, or if you can't easily find out who runs the site, use caution.

Focus on quality--All Web sites are not created equal. Does the site have an editorial board? Is the information reviewed before it is posted?

• This information is often on the "about us" page, or it may be under the organization's mission statement, or part of the annual report.

• See if the board members are experts in the subject of the site. For example, a site on osteoporosis whose medical advisory board is composed of attorneys and accountants is not medically authoritative.

• Look for a description of the process of selecting or approving information on the site. It is usually in the "about us" section and may be called "editorial policy" or "selection policy" or "review policy."

• Sometimes the site will have information "about our writers" or "about our authors" instead of an editorial policy. Review this section to find out who has written the information.

Be a cyberskeptic--Quackery abounds on the Web. Does the site make health claims that seem too good to be true? Does the information use deliberately obscure, "scientific" sounding language? Does it promise quick, dramatic, miraculous results? Is this the only site making these claims?

• Beware of claims that one remedy will cure a variety of illnesses, that it is a "breakthrough," or that it relies on a "secret ingredient."

• Use caution if the site uses a sensational writing style (lots of exclamation points, for example.)

• A health Web site for consumers should use simple language, not technical jargon.

• Get a second opinion! Check more than one site.

Look for the evidence--Rely on medical research, not opinion. Does the site identify the author? Does it rely on testimonials?

• Look for the author of the information, either an individual or an organization. Good examples are "Written by Jane Smith, R.N.," or "Copyright 2003, American Cancer Society."

• If there are case histories or testimonials on the Web site, look for contact information such as an email address or telephone number. If the testimonials are anonymous or hard to track down ("Jane from California"), use caution.

Check for currency--Look for the latest information. Is the information current?

• Look for dates on documents. A document on coping with the loss of a loved one doesn't need to be current, but a document on the latest treatment of AIDS needs to be current.

• Click on a few links on the site. If there are a lot of broken links, the site may not be kept up-to-date.

Beware of bias--What is the purpose? Who is providing the funding? Who pays for the site?

• Check to see if the site is supported by public funds, donations or by commercial advertising.

• Advertisements should be labeled. They should say "Advertisement" or "From our Sponsor."

• Look at a page on the site, and see if it is clear when content is coming from a non-commercial source and when an advertiser provides it. For example, if a page about treatment of depression recommends one drug by name, see if you can tell if the company that manufactures the drug provides that information. If it does, you should consult other sources to see what they say about the same drug.

Protect your privacy--Health information should be confidential. Does the site have a privacy policy and tell you what information they collect?

• There should be a link saying "Privacy" or "Privacy Policy." Read the privacy policy to see if your privacy is really being protected. For example, if the site says "We share information with companies that can provide you with useful products," then your information isn't private.

• If there is a registration form, notice what types of questions you must answer before you can view content. If you must provide personal information (such as name, address, date of birth, gender, mother's maiden name, credit card number) you should refer to their privacy policy to see what they can do with your information.

Consult with your health professional--Patient/provider partnerships lead to the best medical decisions.

  Source: MedlinePlus: Guide to Healthy Web Surfing.    

8. Is there a good glossary of prostate cancer terms and medical abbreviations that you can recommend?

A: Certainly; click here for a good glossary of prostate cancer terms.

We encourage you to contact our Patient Navigator at (678) 843-5665 or renee.sevy@emoryhealthcare.org with any questions you may have regarding prostate cancer. We're here to help.

Information on this page is provided collaboratively by the team at the Prostate Cancer Center at Saint Joseph's and has been medically reviewed by Rajesh G. Laungani, MD, 2010. The PCC follows American Urological Association and  National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Practice Guidelines for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Last Updated: November 11, 2010 (RSH)