If a diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) triggers worry, fear, stress, or anxiety—you’re not alone. More importantly, you’re not crazy.

According to a 2024 Australian study of 13,693 PCa patients, 15% of newly diagnosed men began taking medications such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs for the first time; a smaller number (6.4%) sought out counseling or other psychological services (also for the first time) following diagnosis.^[i] These patients were not mentally ill, nor did they have psychiatric disorders. They found themselves standing on the edge of a precipice they never expected to face. Who wouldn’t be terrified, or become a little deranged—even if only temporarily?

“Prostate cancer can significantly impact mental wellbeing, creating uncertainty and morbidity,” state the study’s authors. And yet, as cancer researcher Professor Sarah-Jeanne Salvy describes it, attending to the “psychological and emotional burden of cancer” has been “marginalized” by the National Cancer Institute itself.^[ii] In other words, not enough attention is being paid to the immediate emotional and psychological impact on newly diagnosed patients.

In fact, it’s not necessarily just a short-term effect. Another 2024 paper, this one a multicenter study out of Utah, notes that few studies have comprehensively examined the problem on long-term follow-up, with the team finding many patients’ mental state still disrupted 10-15 years out from diagnosis.^[iii]

However, for most patients, the disruption happens early on. According to an Aug. 11, 2024 news article on the Australian paper, “men appear to be most vulnerable to psychological issues around the time of their prostate cancer diagnosis. This vulnerability might stem from the stress of being diagnosed with cancer, treatment decisions, and concerns about the future.” This makes absolute sense!

The nearly simultaneous publication of the two papers from Australia and Utah underscores the need to do more than treat a patient’s body. It also requires being empathic with how PCa bears on each patient’s inner world. Here are our observations based on our own work with patients:

• Reassurance helps lower anxiety and stress. After an MRI session, we sit down with patients and those who accompany them to go over the results. We show them their images and go over what they mean. We emphasize how their PCa can be treated, focusing on the positives. In most cases, they are relieved to find their PCa is not as bad as they feared.
• A sense of control over one’s destiny reduces feelings of being lost and helpless. Explaining treatment options that match the nature and extent of their disease helps them regain confidence and feel more centered.
• We offer a downloadable free ebook, “How to Manage Prostate Cancer Anxiety”, to empower patients by providing them with simple tools to lower worry, stress, and fear.
• Many men are reluctant to ask for help with shaky emotions, in the mistaken belief that they should “man up” and put on a brave front. We encourage patients to be open with loved ones, not just about their clinical situation but also about how it’s affecting them. For most patients, turning to their network of family and friends helps support and center them. On our part, we do our best to normalize their anxiety, and gently remind them to seek extra help if they feel like their worry is so overwhelming it’s affecting their relationships, work, etc.

In fact, “normalize” is what this blog is all about. You’re not crazy if PCa is preoccupying you, driving up your heart rate, upsetting your stomach, and distracting you from performing well in your activities, tasks, or relationships. Virtually every cancer support organization extends the same message: It’s normal to experience a psychological or emotional roller coaster, and each cancer patient will have their own unique combination of feelings. What has worked for you in other stressful situations is most likely to benefit you when you hear, “You have prostate cancer.”

Take heart. The Sperling Prostate Center is here to help you stay in control as you go through the journey from detection to treatment and recovery.

 

NOTE: This content is solely for purposes of information and does not substitute for diagnostic or medical advice. Talk to your doctor if you have health concerns or questions of a personal medical nature.

References

[i] Tiruye T, Hiwase M, Charlick M, O’Callaghan M et al. Temporal trends in medication and service use patterns for mental health issues among men with prostate cancer. Psychooncology. 2024 Jul;33(7):e6369.
[ii] Salvy SJ. Psychological interventions in prostate cancer: a farewell to mind-body dualism. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2021 Sep;24(3):587-588.
[iii] Hu S, Chang CP, Snyder J, Deshmukh V et al. Mental health outcomes in a population-based cohort of patients with prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2024 Mar 7;116(3):445-454.