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Being diagnosed with prostate cancer can be scary. It can lead you to fear, panic and hurried decisions. You may feel that you need to make a quick decision and begin treatment right away. But, most prostate cancer is slow growing, so there's usually no need to rush.

Give yourself time to gather information. Learn about all treatment options that are available to you. Talk to or read about others who've been in a similar situation. And consider seeking opinions from doctors in specialties such as urology, oncology and radiotherapy. Keep in mind, some doctors are more inclined to recommend a treatment in the specialty that they're most familiar with. Gathering several specialists' opinions may give you a better understanding of your treatment options.

Before reaching a definitive treatment decision, it's important that you understand the pros and cons of the various options and how they relate to your specific situation. The information in this guide is designed to help you understand the details to consider.

In this guide, you'll watch a Mayo Clinic urologist answer frequently asked questions about the treatments available for prostate cancer. You'll also see and hear from four men, each of whom chose a different treatment option.

It will take about an hour or more to go through this guide. Although it's not essential to do it all in one sitting, it's important to review it before making a treatment decision. That way you may be more fully informed and know what to expect.

When you're involved in making decisions about your treatment, you're more likely to feel better about it, you'll have a better sense of control and less anxiety, and you'll feel more able to cope and more able to talk about your disease and its effects with your loved ones.

The information presented here is designed specifically for men with early-stage prostate cancer, not advanced prostate cancer. See the "Related links" section of this guide for information about advanced prostate cancer.

About prostate cancer