This book was recommended by my urologist just after informing me that I had prostate cancer. It is an excellent guide for anyone wanting to learn about this particular kind of cancer and all of the major treatment options. I detected a slight bias toward radical prostatectomy (It's the gold standard) but all of the other treatments are covered to include their benefits, risks and success rates.

Book Review: Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer

From: www.BasilAndSpice.com

Patrick Walsh, M.D., author of Guide To Surviving Prostate Cancer and Distinguished Service Professor of Urology--The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, is the world's foremost authority on prostate cancer. His book provides some striking news for men:

* More than 200,000 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year.
* 27,000 will die in the U.S. from it this year.
* Prostate cancer is the most common major cancer in men.
* Because prostate cancer is silent, generally without symptoms, early detection is the key.
* Men should begin being screened for prostate cancer at age 40.
* When prostate cancer is small, it is curable.
* More than 95% of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are alive ten years later.

Dr. Walsh evaluates the three major risk factors--age, race, and family history. Prostate cancer is the scourge of older men (age 60-79) with a risk rate of 1 in 7 developing the cancer. The cancer frequently takes time to grow, over the course of decades.

The highest risk of prostate cancer hits African American men. Why this is, is not completely understood, but may involve genetic susceptibility, diet, and lack of vitamin D. Their cancers are also more likely to be severe types and recur.

Risk of prostate cancer grows higher with familial links. In fact, the risk is 2.5 times higher if your father or brother had prostate cancer. Hereditary prostate cancer, (possible risk of 50%) is believed to occur when three first degree family members had it, the disease shows itself in three generations, or if two relatives developed the disease earlier (less than age 55).
The most important action to take is to get screened, beginning at age 40. The PSA test can provide a baseline for later years. Dr. Walsh adds that those between the ages of 50 and 64 who die of prostate cancer, could very well have been saved if the disease had been caught while in their forties.


In addition, Dr. Walsh includes a prevention chapter in his new second edition. He recommends men eat a minimum of five fruits and vegetables a day, especially focusing in on the cruciferous vegetables as cited from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli are examples of the type of vegetables which contain sulforaphane--an important anticancer ingredient which helps to increase potent enzymes in the body. In turn, the body is assisted in creating its own antioxidants to help ward off cancer.

This book is thorough and provides answers to practically every question about prostate cancer. I would recommend that EVERY man read it.

5 Stars

Related-- http://www.basilandspice.com/sexual-matters/why-healtlhy-men-are-having-sex.html

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and immediately set about getting as much information as I could. I searched the web and ordered many books from Amazon to help me understand what I was up against and how best to structure the conversations and questions regarding my case with my urologist. This book is by Dr. Walsh, THE LEADING AUTHORITY on prostate cancer, at John's Hopkins hospital. He just updated the book, second edition in 2007. and it compares the robotic surgery to the open surgery as well as covering every topic in detail. Although written by a doctor it is easily accessible to a lay person as myself. AAA+++

This is a great source of information. My urologist finds Dr. Walsh a bit arrogant but there is no denying his contribution to successful surgery techniques in the removal of the prostate.
I did find a bias towards the researchers at Johns Hopkins as he seldom mentioned other work being done at other research centers.

If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, this book is a must have. It contains answers to practically all of your questions and is in an easy to understand format.

This is the third copy of this book that I have purchased for relatives affected by prostate cancer. All have praised it as an invaluable guide to their own treatment, as it allowed them to participate in their own care and decision making.

This is definitely a great source of information about prostate cancer and how to modify diet to minimize the effects of the malady. This basic approach should be common knowledge, perhaps more widely taught in schools, for all men around the world, of all ages, but unfortunately it is not. What I find most interesting is the various foods that can shrink prostate cancer cells, and should therefore be consumed regularly, such as broccoli, tomato paste, watermelon, and soy, and also foods that feed or cause growth in those cells, and therefore should be avoided, such as red meat and dairy fats. Although I have not finished the book, it is rapidly affecting my personal food preferences. I don't know for certain if I am accomplishing what I intend, but I get a pretty good sense of optimism from reading this book.

Dr Walsh's book is a must read for the older American male. Well written and quite detailed, it is easily understood by senior men regardless of their educational background. Reading this book should be recommended by primary care physicians to patients with an abnormal PSA who are referred for an urological consultation.

By the time you are purchasing this book you probably are on your way to having a biopsy or, more likely, have received the report and its not good news....This book is the most comprehensive of all that I've looked at since my own biopsy, though one warning is to keep in mind that surgical techniques have still improved even further since the book went to press a couple years ago....The stress on incontinence after the radical prostatectomy may be overwrought -- or at least I became overwrought with anxiety until I actually spoke with several men who have had the procedure (robotic surgery) in recent months. Compared with those who shared their stories with me who had surgery four to seven years ago, it seems like night and day. So maybe talk to a few folks before reading this book, or else you are likely to despair more than you need to. Very well written, filled with all the detailed information you'll want to know.

Well-written, easy to read, well organized. Everything you need or want to know about prostate cancer and your choices for dealing with it.

The information was exceptionally well presented, and cleared up a lot of haze surrounding the subject. I am pre-biopsy, but I feel much better about going into the procedure armed toward making good decisions. I now know what to ask and what to look for in a surgeon and facilities as well as what to expect post-surgery if I indeed have cancer of the prostate. Dr Walsh has done all of us men a great service through his research and innovations.
Knowledge is strength. Doug Parrish, Sonora, Calif.

I received "the call" from my urologist four days ago. He asked me to stop by the office and pick up this book. I was there first thing the next morning and despite its 500+ pages, had read it (and several chapters many times) by that afternoon. If you want to be well-informed about the options facing a person diagnosed with prostate cancer, I cannot imagine a better resource.

When I first saw the size of this book, I thought "how much is there to say about this?" I now know. Read this book to be prepared with the questions you will want to ask your doctor.

And if you are the partner of a prostate cancer patient, read this book to understand the very serious decisions that need to be made. Your understanding of the issues and support of the ultimate choice about treatment will be invaluable.

I can only say - thank you Ms. Worthington and Dr. Walsh. You have provided me with the kind of information I feel I need to begin this challenge.

Dr Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer is the best available information for a layman. After reading this book the patient/ reader will have a basis to make a good decision on the many options available to treat prostate cancer. Dr. Walsh presents the info in a way the layman can undestand and gives very practical advise based on thousands of cases he and his colleages have encountered at Johns Hopkins.

Excellant book covering the entire specturm of prostarat cancer EXCEPT the Da Vinci method in detail.
Wonderful background on everything you need to know.

This is a very good book for anyone facing Prostate Cancer, However It is quite techinical and a med degree might be helpful. But if you trust your doctor he can guide you to the parts of the book that will or might pertain to each individual situation. If for example you are looking a t Hormonal and Radiation Therapy , then the rest of the book seems redundant.

I would in any case suggest it be read by those facing or even the possibility of it occoring in an individual or friend.

If you've already gotten a PSA "score" of four-plus, the utility of this book will be to help you evaluate your treatment options pragmatically. There are no miracles being promised - no secret knowledge - beyond the miracle of modern scientific medicine. The tone of Dr. Walsh's writing, however, is fraternally supportive and optimistic without denying the gravity of your condition. My strenuous advice would be to read the book, at least to skim it, before your all-important visit to your urologist. You WILL have questions to ask, so they might as well be good ones.

If you are a lucky guy who doesn't NEED such a book just yet, you're the very person who should read it. Evolution has made a serious botch of the prostate gland (speaking metaphorically, of course) and most men are living long enough these days to experience the woes of UNdesigned body parts. It's not entertaining reading. But it should be sufficiently uncomfortable to make you take the PSA testing schedule earnestly, and to consider such changes in your diet and life style as MIGHT help forestall the need to evaluate treatments. Dr. Walsh is not a preacher, but he does present evidence that the meat-centered modern diet is a factor in the humongous rate of prostate cancer in Europe and North America.

If you are the spouse or partner of someone who suddenly needs this book, you WILL need to understand the 'situation' and this book will help you be helpful. You can get all the same data and all the same suggestions on-line, but Dr. Walsh's book winnows most of the chaff from the useful grain, plus it will save you and your Man from being the target of spam designed to make money from your dilemma or to persuade you of a point of view.

Lots of doctors and lots of 'survivors' recommend this book, which has been updated this year. I haven't found anything more appealing, and I've looked.

Dr. Patrick Walsh and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins are widely recognized as the medical profession's leading experts on prostate cancer. The Second Edition of this classic guide is up-to-date, authoritative, and comprehensive. It contains everything you want to know about prostate cancer, from prevention through prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. All this information is remarkably well organized and accessible. The book contains twelve chapters with titles like, "Do I Have Prostate Cancer?" and "What Are My Options?". Each chapter begins with a short table of contents and a one or two-page summary (kind of like those "Cliffs Notes" you used in high school). The book also includes a full golssary and a detailed index.

If you have had a needle biopsy and have been diagnosed with prostate cancer the Partin Tables and Han Tables in Chapter Six will permit you to determine, within specified statistical limits, the extent of your cancer and the likelyhood of a cure. For the majority of men this information will be good news. The Partin and Han Tables alone are worth more than the modest price of the book.

Despite the technical nature of the subject matter, the book is easy to read. Dr. Walsh's co-author, Janet Farrar Worthington, is a gifted writer. The analogies she uses to put medical terminology into lay terms are absolutely delightful. There is nothing funny about prostate cancer--my Dad and my grandfather both died of the disease. However, I found myself chuckling more than once as I read this wonderful book. Thanks Dr. Walsh; thanks Janet.

Having been recently diagnosed with prostate cancer I found myself confused and grasping for knowledge about the various treatment options. This book goes into great detail and explains each one so that you can make an intelligent decision about which route to take. I can't recommend it enough. A must for any man or his family faced with the diagnosis.

This book was recommended to me by my husband's doctor. I found it very helpful in understanding my husband's cancer. The book reads rather easily only occasional "medical language" when necessary.

This book is a must read item - both for those diagnosed with prostate cancer and for anyone who has a raised PSA level.
Very easy to follow and a life saving guide.

As comprehensive as the original book was, the updated version of Patrick Walsh's guide is even better, almost certainly the definitive guide. Some men may never suffer significant prostate problems but all men over forty should be prepared for them including, particularly, those who incur prostate cancer. The additional 100+ pages in the new book add many valuable insights not least in the area of post surgical managment of the inevitable ED issues. The book is not only packed with information, the information is presented in an entirely comprehensible way that ensures the abilty to make informed decisions as men are confronted with the variety of prostate-related decisions they will likely confront in their lifetime. For lucky men this may just be an informative tool, for many of us, including those like me who are cancer survivors it is a critical tool to guide us on our surviving prostate cancer journey.

The area of subject matter and the depth of instruction regarding Prostate
Cancer,provided me with much assistance in making future decisions. The book has given me the capability to be very selective in questions that must be answered before any procedure is performed. I believe that the investment for the book will be beneficial for my future years. Thanks for the knowledge gleaned.

Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer, Second Editionis well thought out and well written book that covers everything you need to know about prostate cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery!

I purchased four books on the subject of prostate cancer; this book by Patrick Walsh is clearly the best. Very detailed. I subsequently went to Johns Hopkins and Walsh will be my surgeon. Walsh is a legend. Another doctor told me Walsh was a 'magical' surgeon. His book is the best.

Dr. Patrick Walsh is a urologist at Johns Hopkins in Maryland. He has written a concise and comprehensive book about prostate disease. It is important to get as much information as possible when being treated for any disease, and also, physicians are often pressed for time and we sometimes tend to forget the questions we had intended to ask. No problem - you'll find most answers in this wonderful book. I recommend it without reservation.

This book is a great resource for any man over forty to read. It answers the questions of prostate care, problems, treatments; and if worse comes to worse the treatments of prostate cancer, side affects and outcomes of the various treatments. For those who have been newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, this is very great book to help one understand the alternatives for treatment and assist in making those life decisions.

As Dr. Walsh states, most men will have some form of prostate problems in their life, for this reason I would recommend it as a good read. For family members, Dr. Walsh's book, The Prostate A Guide for Men and the Women Who Love Them, is another great resource.

Excellent overview of the entire spectrum of this disease. Very up to date info as of mid 2007 on most topics. As an MD afflicted with this problem I found Walsh's book more useful than medical review searches, texts, etc. Well organized and understandable to a reasonably educated lay person.

Having just been diagnosed with prostate cancer, I began searching for any information I could find. In early stage cancer, you have to make a decision on surgery or radiation therapy. The doctors can't make that decision for you. You need accurate and timely information to make an intelligent decision. You also need to understand the jargon associated with this cancer and its treatments such as BTH, IBRT, IGRT, Gleason Scale, PSA levels as well as complex and simple PSA. They all relate to survivability depending on the course you elect. If you, or someone you love, has been diagnosed, this book is an absolute MUST READ. With it I made my decision!!

I recommend Dr. Patrick Walsh's book to all patients and their loved ones who are coping with a diagnosis of prostate cancer. When my PSA blood test became elevated I was advised to seek advice from a urologist. I had many questions that I was going to ask. However, my wife insisted that I read "Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer". This book answered every one of my questions prior to my visit with the doctor. From the time of the PSA elevation, biopsy, diagnosis, treatment, and throughout the recovery process, it continued to be an invaluable guide. Dr. Walsh and Janet Worthington have taken a very complex subject and managed to convey their knowledge into language that the lay person can easily understand. Although I elected to undergo surgery, all other treatment options for prostste cancer were explained in this comprehensive book. In my opinion, it is a "must read" for men and their families!

This is one of the two best books I reviewed after my prostate cancer diagnosis. At the time the 2nd edition was not yet published. I recently reviewed the 2nd edition (published June 2007) and found it even better with more up to date info, findings, etc. I was operated on at Johns Hopkins (author Walsh is the immediate past chairman of the Urology Dept there) and was MOST impressed. No wonder Hopkins' Brady Center is #1 in Urology per US News. The other outstanding book I found on prostate cancer was Peter Scardino's Prostate Book: The Complete Guide to Overcoming Prostate Cancer, Prostatitis and BPH)(he's at Sloan-Kettering in NYC. It was published in 2005. I do not know when an update is coming for that book.

A friend dropped off the first edition of this book the evening I got my diagnosis of Prostate Cancer. I found the book to be informative and balanced, with very good medical information to guide my decision making steps. After consulting with two surgeons (where their individual recomendations were in total alignment with Dr Walsh's comments) I chose to have a robotic Radical Prostetectomy. This book prepared me for the surgery and has been an invaluable guide for my recovery. I bought several copies of the revised edition and have already given two of them to other people recently diagnosed with Prostate cancer.

This is not the book that I ever wanted to expected to be buying, but it's been an incredibly valuable resource as I make my way through Cancerworld, prostate division. Dr. Walsh is a legendary surgeon and a pioneer in nerve-sparing surgery who also proves to be a lucid and informative writer. He pulls no punches, but he also gives the plausible and practical reasons for being hopeful in the face of a prostate-cancer diagnosis. The book is indexed very well, which I found very helpful in trying to zero in on certain topics rather than reading sequentially, and each chapter starts out with a concise and effective synopsis.

This is an updated edition of what has been the best laymen's book on prostate cancer, something that one of three men will experience in their lifetimes. But prostate cancer is not a death sentence or anywhere close if it's diagnosed early, evenin aggressive cases.Survival ratesfor those caught in the early stages are nearly 100 percent i.e. no recurrence in five years. Walsh is from JOhns Hpkins, considered to be leader in prostate cancer and urlogy generally.

Don't wait until you get prostate cancer to find out something about it, because if you don't ever have it, someone you know will. It will hep if someone knows something about it who isn't in a panic. In the meantime, make sure you follow reasonable advice on being tested.

There are alternative treatments bt there's a number of variables.You'll find most of it here. And ou'll get some idea of what you should look for from your own doctor - including whether you need a second opinion or another physician.

The oter good news is that there are prostate cancerns where treatment can be delayed indefinitely. It's just that most of us aren't qualified to make that judgement. Buy it. Read it.