Print this out, edit it with anything else you think of. Leave lots of blank space to write in your answers. Take in the piece of paper and a pen.
Recording is also a good idea.
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Diagnosis:
What is the tumour stage T?
1,2a,2b,2c,3a,3b,4
They may include the little letters a,b,c or it may just be the number.
If they do include a little letter it is something to do with the extend of spread, ask them to explain what that means. If they don't include a little letter ask to what extent it has spread.
Answers to these questions may be: only one tiny tumour, lots of little tumours, only one side, both sides, also seminal vascules, extra prostatic extension, also in bladder, also in rectum.
What is the Gleason score?
They may give you a Gleason Grade 1 to 5. If so ask if they know the two number score, this will be something like 3+4 it makes a difference which number is first so don't just remember 7 if they say 4+3.
What percent of the whole prostate has cancer?
They may quote number of positive cores, or millimetres per core, or a percentage. Ideally if you can get an answer like, "10% was Gleason pattern 4 and 20% was Gleason pattern 3.” that would be the easiest to interpret.
What is the N score?
0 would be great. If not 0 how many nodes, where are they, as in proximity to prostate?
What is the M score?
0 would be great. If not 0 where is it metastised to? Which bones? Is there any in soft tissue?
Treatment options:
Is active surveillance an option?
Unlikely if anything above T2N0M0
For all the following options, you need to know if you are clinically excluded, or just excluded because the hospital does not offer the treatment. Consider asking for a referral to another hospital if a treatment is clinically acceptable, but not available here.
Is HIFU an option?
Only likely if one or two spots of easy to reach cancer.
Is LDR brachy an option?
Is HDR brachy an option?
Is EBRT (external beam radio therapy) an option?
Will hormone therapy (HT) be required? If so for how long?
Is prostatectomy an option? Would it be nerve sparing?
If N or M are not zero how will they be treated?
I can not think of anything else, but others may, so add them to the list. You will never remember this unless you have it printed out in front of you at the meeting, and you will never remember the answers unless you write them down or record it. If you record it, you are relying on technology more complicated than a pen and paper, that is risky!