Coping With Emotions Through Cancer
- Travel guide guru Rick Steves is going through his journey with prostate cancer, a common disease he was diagnosed with a few months ago and underwent surgery for, with a “traveler’s mindset.”
- He told New York Times podcast hosts David Marchese and Lulu Garcia-Navarro on a recent episode the “The Interview,” that his recent diagnosis has led him to think about things he regrets and how his career didn’t allow him to prioritize his loved ones.
- Prostate cancer screening may often involve a digital rectal exam and prostate-specific antigen test. This test measures the level of PSA in the blood, and higher levels can indicate cancer. Most cancer diagnoses are caught with screening.
- A cancer diagnosis can have a profound impact on mental health, affecting patients, survivors, and their loved ones in a variety of ways. Some ways a diagnosis can reveal itself in your mental health can be through added stress and anxiety, mood swings, depression, and social isolation.
- Coping with a diagnosis or some other stressor in your life can be an emotional experience that affects your mental health. Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik suggests people facing these challenges tap into their support group to help navigate their emotions.
The 69-year-old father of two, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in August and underwent surgery to treat the disease in September, told New York Times podcast hosts David Marchese and Lulu Garcia-Navarro on a recent episode the “The Interview,” addressed how cancer has made him think about what he feels repentant about.
Read MoreAfter admitted how he doesn’t give much thought in explaining to others why his “values are the way they are,” Steves explained, “This is not accidental, I’ve calculated it.
“And I’ve got an opportunity to be what I consider extremely productive, helping people travel in a constructive way.
He continued, “And I choose that knowing it’s not gonna be without a cost. Yeah, I’m aware of that. And I’m in a way, I’m sad about it. But, again, you have to make a choice.”
Referring to his love for travel and sharing that joy with others, he said, “It’s almost a calling from a pastoral sense or something. This is why God put me here.
“It gives me energy and it gives me straight oxygen. I wouldn’t wish this on anybody but it fits me and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
As for if something were to happen to him that would prevent him from traveling Steves said he would welcome the opportunity because it would force him to do things he otherwise wouldn’t make time for, like playing the piano.
Steves also pointed out that he’s embracing his cancer journey with a “traveler’s mindset,” as he see’s the removal of his prostate “as a journey.”
“I don’t speak the language. I don’t know exactly where it’s going. I’m not in control of the itinerary,” Steves said on the podcast. It’s interesting to me. It hasn’t gotten me down. I’m kind of having, not fun, but I’m having a learning experience.”
We’re glad to see Steves remaining positive amid his cancer battle. He also mentioned on the podcast that his “prognosis is very good,” adding that “prostate’s a good kind of cancer to get.”
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Meanwhile, In an earlier interview with People magazine, Steves said, “I look at things with a traveler’s mindset, with curiosity, joy and positivity, and this was something totally new.
“I’ve never spent a night in the hospital before and all of a sudden, I’m confronted with an existential challenge. It was kind of thrilling and exhilarating.”
Rick Steves’ Prostate Cancer Battle
Rick Steves gave fans a health update on Oct. 8, writing on social media, “I’m happy to say that I’m home now after successful surgery and a night in the hospital. (Packing light for my homecoming, I left my prostate there.) Since I was first diagnosed, I’ve thought of cancer as the latest adventure in a lifetime of travels — and like always, I’m excited to share a trip report with you.
“My journey began with a blood draw to screen for prostate cancer. I was told that, at my age, a PSA score of 4 or greater would be considered ‘abnormal.’ So, when I got the shocking news that I had a PSA score of 55, it was like I’d been thrown into a new land fraught with mystery and uncertainty.”
Expert Prostate Cancer Resources
- If You Have a Family History of Prostate Cancer, Get Screened Early
- Bladder and Prostate Cancer Misinformation is ‘Common’ on YouTube; How to Find Quality Intel
- After a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis, Here’s How to Talk To Your Urologist
- Digital Guide: Navigating Prostate Cancer Care at the VA
- Don’t Believe the Hype: Do Your Own Research on Prostate Cancer Treatment
- Good News for Prostate Cancer Patients — a Promising New Procedure with Lower Risk of Impotence
He continued, “In my case, I had options (basically non-surgical treatments or just cut it out). Caring people with strong opinions and lessons from experience weighed in as if in a debate tournament, competing in the interest of my health. Psychologically, I was inclined to embrace the ‘ectomy’ route — cut it out.
“And in my case (where the cancer is, how it’s acting, and my willingness to deal with — or live with — the side effects), it seemed surgery was my best option.”
Steves underwent something called a robotic radical prostatectomy, later adding, “Thankfully, my doctor has a good report: Surgery went well, there was no sign of any spread, and the cancer seems to have been embedded deep in my prostate, which is now at the lab.”
Thanks for all the support since I first told you about my prostate cancer diagnosis. I promised you an update when I shared this news back in August — and I’m happy to say that I’m home now after successful surgery and a night in the hospital. (Packing light for my homecoming, I… pic.twitter.com/0HlyCRHT8B
— Rick Steves (@RickSteves) October 9, 2024
Understanding Prostate Cancer
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it’s important to remember that most types of prostate cancers are treatable. According to the National Cancer Institute, the five-year survival rate of prostate cancer in the U.S. is 97.1%. There is, however, a small number of men whose type of prostate cancer may become unresponsive to treatment, for example, when cancer cells develop a resistance hormone therapy, the treatment may no longer work.
Prostate cancer begins in the prostate the walnut-shaped gland located between the rectum and bladder that produces the fluid that nourishes sperm. Outside of skin cancers, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men with about one in eight men being diagnosed with this disease during his lifetime.
It’s important to remember a prostate cancer diagnosis is not always preceded by symptoms. And even when symptoms do occur, they can be inconsistent and hard to pinpoint.
“Prostate cancer is a very odd disease in that it doesn’t have a particular symptom,” Dr. Edwin Posadas, director of translational oncology and the medical director of the Urologic Oncology Program at Cedars-Sinai, told SurvivorNet.
After the Diagnosis: “What Did I Do Wrong?”
Still, it’s important to note changes in urinary function, like urinating more or less often or waking up at night to go more than usual, could be a sign of prostate cancer. So, even if you think there’s nothing to worry about, always talk to your doctor about changes to your health when they occur.
There are many different treatment options for both early and later-stage prostate cancer including active surveillance, watchful waiting, surgery, radiation, cryotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy. The disease is one where doctors may have differing opinions on the best treatment path to take, so don’t hesitate to ask lots of questions and seek out multiple opinions.
Second (& Third) Opinions Matter When Deciding Between Surgery or Radiation
“I think it behooves the patient to have multiple discussions or second opinions, not only by the urologist who did the biopsy and diagnosed that man, but also with other surgeons and other radiation oncologist just to get a very circumspect view of what the treatment options are,” Dr. Jim Hu, a urologic oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, told SurvivorNet. “Oftentimes, I think patients need to understand that our health system is based a lot on fee-for-service medicine.
“And so therefore, a lot of physicians, I think, who are very well intentioned, will believe that their treatment is best for that particular man,” Dr. Hu added.
Coping With Emotions After Cancer
After a cancer diagnosis, patients often are consumed with emotions, and managing them all can be a daunting task.
“People have a range of emotions when they’re diagnosed with cancer,” Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik previously told SurvivorNet. “And they can include fear, anger … and these emotions tend to be fluid.”
“They can recede and return based on where someone is in the process. Going through a cancer diagnosis is just the beginning of a complicated, complicated process,” she added.
According to Mental Health America, “56% of adults with a mental illness receive no treatment, and over 27 million individuals experiencing a mental illness are going untreated.”
While millions of people have unmet mental health needs, the need for mental health resources is even greater among cancer patients and their families.
What is Positive Psychology & How Can it Help Cancer Survivors?
Research published in Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences found that “35 to 40 percent of cancer patients have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder,” and the number of people experiencing mental health challenges is “higher among cancer patients with advanced stages of cancer and in palliative care settings.”
According to Dr. Asher Aladjem, a physician psychiatrist at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, addressing your symptoms one by one with a mental health professional can go a long way in making treatment a more tolerable experience.
“Patients need to know they’re entitled to get the whole spectrum of services, and the mental health service is a very important one, I think,” Dr. Aladiem tells SurvivorNet.
Prostate Cancer Screening Guidelines
It’s unclear if the benefits of prostate cancer screening outweigh the risks for most men. Nevertheless, screening can be life-saving, and it’s important to discuss the pros and cons of screening and your risk factors for the disease with your doctor.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends “men have a chance to make an informed decision with their health care provider about whether to be screened for prostate cancer” after “getting information about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits of prostate cancer screening.”
The ACS says the discussion about prostate cancer screening should take place at:
- Age 50 for men who are at average risk of prostate cancer and are expected to live at least 10 more years.
- Age 45 for men at high risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes African Americans and men who have a first-degree relative (father or brother) diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age (younger than age 65).
- Age 40 for men at even higher risk (those with more than one first-degree relative who had prostate cancer at an early age).
When Should I Get Tested for Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer screening methods look for possible signs of the disease, but they can’t determine for sure if you have cancer. A prostate biopsy is the only way to confirm if the patient has prostate cancer.
Screening generally involves a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test and a digital rectal exam to feel the prostate gland. The prostate-specific antigen is a protein secreted by the prostate gland, large amounts of which can indicate prostate cancer.
It’s slightly uncomfortable but painless, and takes less than 30 seconds,” Dr. Posadas said of these methods. “The amount of information that is gained from that is tremendous, and it can be a life-and-death type decision that is made.”
Though the PSA test is not always accurate and an elevated PSA test does not always mean you have prostate cancer, our experts maintain that these tests are helpful. Make sure to discuss your options with your doctors and decide what screening should look like for you.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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