What Emotions Can I Expect To Have After Being Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer, And What Can I Do To Minimize Depression?

Jan. 01, 2009 -- Question: What emotions can I expect to have after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, and what can I do to minimize depression?

Answer: There are a variety of responses people have when they are told that they have prostate cancer. And I think that it's a phenomenon that occurs to patients who are told that they have any form of cancer. I myself had concerns when I was told I had a kidney cancer. And I think in terms of patients, the responses that they can have are concern, anxiety, fear, and in some instances they can actually get clinically depressed and require treatment for it. But the vast majority of the patients basically do not have significant clinical depression. Most often they have anxiety and fear of the unknown.