PROSTATE-CANCER - A PATIENTS PERSPECTIVE

During the last few years a tremendous amount of media attention has b een focused on prostate cancer. This increased visibility has been the direct result of the prostate specific antigen test, which has led to a doubling of the number of new cases detected in just 4 years. With this visibility has come controversy about which treatment is the most effective or whether this disease should be treated aggressively at a ll. The formation and rapid expansion of the prostate cancer support g roup movement are reviewed, and the positive and negative impacts of m edia coverage on present and future patients are assessed. My personal case is reviewed briefly to make a specific point about the hazards o f watchful waiting. Other issues, such as mass screening, Prostate Can cer Awareness Week and expenditures for prostate cancer research, are examined in some detail.