11 Overlooked Details in Prostate Cancer Care Planning

Prostate cancer treatment involves many moving parts that can slip past attention amid new terms and decisions. This list highlights practical details that keep care organised and measurable. Apply them before consent, during therapy, and through follow-up so recovery stays aligned with your goals, including sexual health, continence, and general wellbeing. Keep notes in simple language and share them with your clinician so nothing is missed.

1. Document Your Baseline

Before starting prostate cancer treatment, write down urinary, bowel, and sexual function. Note medication use, sleep, and activity levels. Baselines let you compare changes fairly and spot genuine progress rather than day to day noise. Bring this page to each visit.

2. Ask For A Plain Staging Summary

Request a short statement that combines biopsy grade, stage, MRI notes, and PSA trend. Keep it in your folder and use it to anchor future choices. When everyone refers to the same summary, treatment paths, and review rules become clearer and faster to confirm.

3. Clarify Decision Triggers

Agree in advance which findings move you from surveillance to active therapy, or from one modality to another. Examples include a defined PSA rise or a change in imaging. Decision triggers remove guesswork and reduce stress when results arrive.

4. Map Day One Aftercare

List what happens in the first 48 hours after a procedure. Include pain plans, wound checks, and who to call after hours. Place supplies in one spot at home and set phone alarms for medicines. Small logistics protect comfort and reduce avoidable clinic calls.

5. Track Psa With Purpose

Write the schedule and expected behaviour after each therapy type. Record exact dates and values in one notebook. Add notes on infections or heavy exercise near a test, since these can influence readings. Consistent logs help teams interpret numbers with context.

6. Set A Sexual Rehabilitation Timeline

Discuss when to begin medication, devices, or counselling. Mark week one, month one, and month three targets, and note who leads each step. If you plan to explore erectile dysfunction treatment in Singapore, ask for referral routes, follow up intervals, and how progress will be assessed.

7. Protect Continence Recovery

Begin pelvic floor practice as advised and record reps, sets, and symptoms. Choose products for early use and plan how to taper them as control improves. Note red flags such as burning, fever, or clots, and confirm the path to urgent care if these occur.

8. Coordinate Work And Transport

Check clinic locations, parking, and travel time for repeated sessions. Speak with your manager about temporary duty changes and rest breaks. Arrange a support person for key appointments. Practical planning prevents missed reviews and rushed decisions.

9. Prepare For Radiotherapy Routines

If radiotherapy is selected, ask about session length, hydration practices, and skin care. Plan meals, clothing, and travel to keep days steady. Write down which symptoms require a call between visits, such as escalating urinary irritation or unusual fatigue.

10. Keep A Single Paper Trail

Store consent forms, imaging reports, discharge summaries, and receipts in one folder. After each visit, add a short note on decisions and next steps. A tidy paper trail saves time for clinicians and reduces repeated tests or conflicting instructions.

11. Review Medicines And Interactions

List every prescription, supplement, and over-the-counter product you take. Share this list at pre-assessment so dosing plans and anaesthesia choices remain safe. Ask which medicines to pause and when to restart them. Update the list after each change and keep a copy in your wallet.

Conclusion

Attention to small steps can improve clarity and comfort without changing clinical indications. By recording baselines, securing a plain staging summary, and fixing decision triggers, you create a stable frame for choices. A structured plan for sexual rehabilitation, continence, and radiotherapy routines keeps energy on recovery instead of logistics. Use one notebook for PSA values, symptoms, and questions, then bring it to every review. Proactive records turn scattered information into a clear story that supports decisions over time. Share summaries with your care team so plans stay consistent across services. Keep contact numbers for after-hours advice on a card in your wallet, and confirm who leads coordination when several services share your follow up.

For prostate cancer consultations and sexual rehabilitation planning, contact the National University Hospital (NUH).