Prostate Cancer Foundation's Robust Collection of New Patient Resources Now Available

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), the world’s leading philanthropic organization funding and accelerating prostate cancer research, announced today that the newly revised 2019 Prostate Cancer Patient Guide is available for free download on pcf.org. The guide, which was first published in late 2017, is a comprehensive resource for diagnosis, treatment, side effects, survivorship, and risk factors for patients and families with a history of prostate cancer. Because prostate cancer standards of practice change due to rapidly advancing scientific breakthroughs, this document is updated throughout the year in its electronic form.

The 2019 Prostate Cancer Patient Guide focuses all of the information available about contemporary prostate cancer research, treatments and lifestyle factors into one consolidated resource. It is for any man who has been newly diagnosed, is in treatment, or is concerned about a rising prostate specific antigen (PSA). Because prostate cancer is one of the most heritable cancers, the guide includes information for all family members, both men and women, about genetic cancer risks. It is also for any caregiver who wants to cut through the information noise and get directly to need-to-know information for prostate cancer patient navigation.

“We at PCF work daily on the front lines of science to find treatments and cures for prostate cancer, and because of our investments over the past 25 years, we are in a remarkable period where progress for patients is taking place more rapidly than ever before,” said Christine Jones, COO, PCF. “It is our duty to provide patients with the most comprehensive information available about prostate cancer so that they may have highly informed discussions with their doctors and make the best choices based on state-of-the-art medical research.”

Also available for immediate download is the new resource, Additional Facts for African-American Men and Their Families. This guide specifically addresses the risks and issues associated with prostate cancer in African-Americans, who are 76 percent more likely to be diagnosed and more than twice as likely to die from the disease vs. other ethnicities. It also highlights PCF’s research focused on identifying and overcoming health disparities.

To further improve access to information that can improve outcomes by getting patients on “the right track” as soon as possible, PCF has also launched its prostate cancer clinical trial finder in collaboration with Smart Patients. Because finding a trial can be confusing for patients, PCF has custom-curated trials that may be specifically relevant to men with prostate cancer. The tool allows men to search based on their disease state, stage, and their geographical location.

In addition to the guides, and because it is important to provide regular science updates as well as feature stories about patients, families and researchers, PCF is collaborating with award-winning science writer Janet Farrar Worthington, whose series of articles about prostate cancer can be found exclusively on pcf.org. Her straightforward, approachable style allows readers to connect with the difficult topic and academic science on a more human level. Recent stories include “Stopping the Runaway Train: A Brand New Way to Kill Prostate Cancer” and “Aggressive Prostate Cancer and Our ‘Dark DNA.’”

PCF also provides several online communities through Facebook groups where men and their families can communicate, advise, and seek advice from others who are at a similar stage in the prostate cancer journey. PCF offers groups for patients (including separate groups for newly diagnosed and for those facing metastatic disease), caregivers, and survivors. Recently, patients with metastatic prostate cancer have shared their experiences with genetic testing among the group.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's leading philanthropic organization funding and accelerating prostate cancer and other research. Founded in 1993, the PCF has raised more than $770 million and provided funding to more than 2,000 research programs at more than 210 cancer centers and universities. The PCF global research enterprise extends to 22 countries and funds a robust research portfolio. The PCF advocates for greater awareness of prostate cancer and more efficient investment of governmental research funds for transformational cancer research. Its efforts have helped produce a 20-fold increase in government funding for prostate cancer. More information about the PCF can be found at www.pcf.org.