Support resources for prostate cancer: financial assistance and more

Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer among men, second only to skin cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Thanks to advances in screening and treatment, the

outlook for people with prostate cancer has greatly improved in recent years. In fact, the 5-year survival rate for most men with local or regional prostate cancer is close to 100 percent.

However, receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis and navigating your treatment and care can be hard to do without proper support. Here are some of the resources that can help you throughout

your prostate cancer journey. Oncologists If you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it’s important that you meet regularly with an oncologist, or cancer specialist, to assess the

progress of your treatment. It can be particularly beneficial to see an oncologist who has experience treating people with your specific type of prostate cancer. If you haven’t been seeing

an oncologist, ask your primary care doctor or community cancer center for a referral. You can also find oncologists who specialize in prostate cancer near you by searching an online

database like the one operated by the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Financial assistance A variety of factors may affect how much you have to pay out of pocket for your prostate cancer

treatment. Some of these include: * the type of treatment you receive * where you receive treatment * how often you receive treatment * how much of your treatment is covered by health

insurance * whether you’re enrolled in a financial support program If you’re worried about covering the costs of your treatment, here are a few things you can do to help ease your financial

burden: * Talk to your insurance provider about whether there are changes you can make to your medical coverage to reduce your out-of-pocket costs. * Ask your doctor if it’s possible to

adjust your treatment plan to lower the cost of care. * Speak to a financial counselor or social worker at your community cancer center to find out whether you qualify for any financial

support programs, like Cancer Care’s Financial Assistance Program. * Contact the manufacturer of your medications to see if you’re eligible for any patient discount programs or rebates. You

can find additional resources and advice on how to manage the costs of prostate cancer treatment through these organizations: * American Cancer Society * Cancer Care * Cancer Financial

Assistance Coalition * Prostate Cancer Foundation * ZERO — The End of Prostate Cancer Social and emotional support Living with prostate cancer can be stressful. You may start to experience

feelings like anxiety, anger, or grief as a result of your diagnosis. If you feel like these emotions are having a negative effect on your day-to-day life, ask your doctor for a referral to

a mental health professional. It may also help to connect with a trained social worker through Cancer Care’s Hopeline. You can access these services by calling 800-813-4673 or by emailing

[email protected]. Connecting with others who are living with prostate cancer and understand what you’re going through can also help you cope. Try these options: * Ask your doctor or

community cancer center for a referral to a cancer support group in your area. * Find a local support group through an online database, like the ones offered by the American Cancer Society

and Us TOO. * Register for an online support group through Cancer Care. Prostate cancer resources Several nonprofit and governmental organizations offer online resources for people living

with prostate cancer. For helpful information on the condition, check out these resources: * American Cancer Society * Centers for Disease Control and Prevention * National Cancer Institute

* Prostate Cancer Foundation * U.S. National Library of Medicine * Us TOO * ZERO — The End of Prostate Cancer You can also connect with an information specialist at the Us TOO Prostate

Cancer Helpline by calling 800-808-7866. Your healthcare team or community cancer center may also be able to share or recommend additional resources about prostate cancer, like: * books *

websites * informational guides The takeaway Living with prostate cancer isn’t easy, but you don’t have to face your diagnosis alone. There are resources available. These resources can help

you manage the physical, emotional, and financial challenges of your treatment and connect you with other people who understand what you’re going through. Remember: Support is just a phone

call or email away.