After Googling almost every single word in my MRI and biopsy reports, I settled into my prostate cancer diagnosis and started gathering legitimate, authoritative and comprehensive information about the disease, it's causes, treatment options and tips for surviving prostate cancer.
Naturally, I checked Amazon for books about prostate cancer and found a ton of options, most of them not great, but one stuck out.
The definitive book on the topic - Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer - caught my attention. Originally published in 2001 and updated four times since, the 544-page fourth edition was published in 2018 with Janet Farrar Worthington joining Dr. Patrick Walsh in each effort. Dr. Walsh is considered the world's foremost authority on prostate cancer and is the Distinguished Service Professor of Urology at the Brady Urological Institute of the The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, Maryland. Worthington is a renowned science writer who has written extensively on men's health.
This Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer is important for those who have been diagnosed - but it for yourself or a male partner or friend - but important to all men since 1 in 8 American men will get prostate cancer before they die. More than 27,000 men each year die of prostate cancer.
The book's life-saving information is all backed-up with robust scientific references end emphasizes the importance of regular check-ups, including the dreaded digital rectal exam (DRE) and the PSA test.
For those who get the unfortunate diagnosis, the chapters explaining what you might see in test results, what a Gleason score is and then comparing treatment options like surgery, radiation and hormonal therapy are especially helpful. You'll learn about the potential side effects associated with each treatment option and what to do if treatment doesn't work.
The Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer is accessible, easy to read and understandable. Dr Walsh takes on sensitive topics like urinary incontinence and erectile disfunction in a way that's both direct and supportive.
This book costs about $20.00 on Amazon and is no substitute for a health care professional's care, but this book is worth every penny, especially if you own a prostate, know someone with one or are looking to get rid of one. Buy the Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer here.
