I’ve been on a bit of a binge lately. But, fear not, it hasn’t involved booze, recreational stimulants or late nights doing the cockroach in sweaty nightclubs. Rather, my vice has been reading an indecent number of cancer memoirs as part of my creative writing PhD studies.

By Tim Baker | Among the many potential side effects of hormone therapy, (or Androgen Deprivation Therapy), one that gets perhaps too little attention is the risk of cognitive decline. 

By Tim Baker | Greetings from beautiful WA, where I’m fresh from a delightful weekend at the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival.

By Tim Baker | When I was first diagnosed back in 2015, one of the most helpful books I read was “When Things Fall Apart” by Pedma Chodron, a Zen Buddhist monk, full of deep wisdom on dealing with adversity.

By Tim Baker | Last week, I had the great privilege of being involved in a patient forum for men living with prostate cancer at the Australian Prostate Centre in Melbourne.

By Tim Baker | So, here’s a curly question I haven’t seen addressed in any of the prostate cancer literature I’ve come across so far.

By Tim Baker | It’s nearly eight years since I was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer and nearly a year since my cancer memoir, Patting The Shark, was published.

By Tim Baker | I can think of plenty of reasons not to do a road trip from the Gold Coast to Melbourne and back, about 40 hours and 4000 km round trip, with a stage four prostate cancer diagnosis...

By Tim Baker | Fresh back from the Newcastle Writers Festival and brimming with new inspiration from the writerly marketplace of ideas, as always when I attend these events.

By Tim Baker | I was enjoying a bit of friendly banter with one of my prostate cancer comrades in the UK on Twitter recently (as you do) when the topic of diet came up.

By Tim Baker | In the tool kit for managing the distress and trauma of a cancer diagnosis, have you ever considered the role of writing therapy?

By Tim Baker | You hear and read a lot in oncology about the dangers of offering false hope to cancer patients. From spurious folk remedies and snake oil to the uncertain benefits of nutrition and emotional healing...

By Tim Baker | Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform many areas of healthcare, including cancer care. But can it replace medical professionals? Tim Baker shares his thoughts. 

Are you aware of the Australian Healthcare Charter of Rights?

My recent cancer memoir Patting The Shark was written as part of a creative writing PhD at Griffith University. The book forms what’s called the creative component of my PhD and now it’s done, I’ve turned my attention to the academic component, the Exegesis.

PCFA is about to start a review of Australia's guidelines for prostate cancer testing, harnessing our chance to change the way we manage the disease. 

Last week we brought together some of the country's leading clinicians to talk about new and emerging treatment options that have vastly improved the way we diagnose and treat prostate cancer. 

The vodcast touches on robotic and open prostatectomies, advances in radiotherapy, and the frontlines of research into side-effect management and treatment of erectile dysfunction and incontinence.

If you have any questions, or need support, call 1800 22 00 99 to speak with a PCFA Telenurse.

You’ve probably heard these three words a fair bit in recent years. You might even be sick of hearing them, but you are probably going to have to get used to it.

In the context of cancer care, most would agree the standard of care you receive should not be determined by your bank balance, ethnicity, postcode, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation. This has been a hot topic at recent oncology conferences and for good reason.

If you’re suffering from financial toxicity, you probably don’t need the concept explained to you...

Greetings from Bali, where your correspondent finds himself enjoying a break from normal transmission, in the splendour of the Ubud Readers and Writers Festival. I’m here to talk about my book Patting The Shark, which you might already be aware documents the perilous path of the prostate cancer patient and my quest for a sensible, middle path through mainstream and evidence-based complementary therapies.

Everyone responds to a cancer diagnosis differently. Some embrace yoga, meditation and a plant-based diet. Some retreat from the world. Some resolve to suck the marrow from life and chase an audacious bucket list.

There may be no satisfactory answer to the question: Why did I get cancer?

If you are a lifelong smoker with lung cancer, chances are that was a contributing factor. Lengthy court cases have been waged to establish if exposure to the toxic pesticide and known carcinogen Roundup was responsible for the various cancers suffered by gardeners and farmers and others who regularly doused themselves with the stuff.

During the COVID 19 pandemic, particularly the strict lockdowns in Victoria, there was a sharp and dramatic drop in cancer diagnoses. And the sharpest and most dramatic drop of all was for prostate cancer, with a 60% reduction in prostate cancer screening in Victoria.

https://theconversation.com/physician-heal-thyself-after-4-years-of-treatment-for-stage-4-cancer-i-j...

In the unlikely event that this has escaped your notice, oncologists are extremely busy people. You probably know the drill. You sit in the waiting room thumbing through trashy magazines or watching the inanity of daytime TV as the revolving door of cancer patients trudge in and out of the oncologist’s office, until your name is called...

I was supposed to write this blog post yesterday.

But I was a bit … well, frankly, I was a bit tired. Which, in the ruthless world of freelance journalism, is about as valid an excuse as the proverbial dog eating your homework.

Except, in this case, the client – the delightful folks at the PCFA – have a good understanding of and empathy for cancer-related fatigue (CRF), especially the acutely debilitating kind inflicted by hormone therapy...

Prostate cancer is often spoken of as a couple’s disease because it can affect the partner of the person living with the diagnosis so acutely (if they have a partner).

Statistically, men with prostate cancer in long term relationships tend to do better over time than single men. It’s not hard to understand why. Another set of ears at medical appointments to help recall and process the overwhelming tide of information. A gentle reminder when tests, oncologist’s appointments or treatments might be due. The companionship. Emotional support...

As you navigate a prostate cancer diagnosis, coming to terms with treatments, side effects, lifestyle changes, the existential dread and angst, it’s easy to overlook one very important element of your cancer care. Bone health...

It has been shown that between 5-90% of patients will develop some degree of incontinence after a radical prostatectomy. Continence status will continue to evolve for up to 1 year after the surgery and in most patients will resolve after this period. Conservative treatment options should be trialled before proceeding to more invasive treatments, particularly in the early postoperative period, and patients should be followed up regularly to monitor treatment progress. Among the most common conservative treatments are behavioural therapies, pelvic floor muscle training with or without biofeedback, electrical simulation, and pharmacotherapy...

By Tim Baker

Eighteen months ago, in an act of grand optimism, I began a creative writing PhD, five and a half years after being diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer, when I’d been told I could expect five to six years of reasonable health...

If you’ve received a cancer diagnosis, and are experiencing significant distress, may I suggest you pop down to your local GP and obtain a mental health care plan to see a psychologist? 

If you’ve received a cancer diagnosis and aren’t experiencing significant distress, may I learn the secrets to your superpower? 

Blokes, ay? We like to think we’re pretty tough, but guess what? A cancer diagnosis is tougher. If you don’t find ways to process the stress and anxiety of dealing with cancer, it’ll squirt out sideways and impact the people closest to you...