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 | Older readers may recall a time when patients who’d undergone major medical procedures might look forward to some time recuperating in what was rather quaintly termed a “Convalescent Home”....

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. 

Over time, I’ve realised this journey is a marathon not a sprint.

I’d be the first to admit, I came out of the blocks a bit hard, abruptly and radically overhauling my diet, exercising like a maniac, meditating like a monk, researching whacky folk remedies and overpriced herbs and supplements, desperate to do all I could to remain fit and healthy.

If you have prostate cancer and have started (or are about to start) hormone therapy treatment you can now register for a research study that will test the effectiveness of a new supportive care program provided by specialist prostate cancer nurses.

Prostate cancer is often referred to as a couples’ disease because it impacts the partner of the person with the diagnosis so acutely (if they have a partner).

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...

What do you think when you hear the term “integrative oncology”?

In my experience, a lot of people are a bit sceptical about the term, imagining it as code for spurious, expensive and alternative cancer treatments...

Skeletal related events (SREs), also known as symptomatic skeletal events, occur due to bone instability related to the treatment of advanced prostate cancer or due to the spread of prostate cancer to the bone (metastases). This results in localised pain at the site of spread and increased risk of fractures. Metastases to the spinal column can result in a pathological fracture with collapse of the vertebrae leading to spinal cord compression. SREs are associated with increased risk of mortality, pain, and low-quality of life. Symptomatic bone lesions may require radiotherapy or surgical intervention to improve symptoms. Patients may also present with high calcium levels in the blood.

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.

Those of us on hormone therapy probably don’t need reminding that exercise is one of the best things we can do for ourselves, for its many benefits: improved cardio-vascular health, bone density, muscle mass and mood, all compromised by hormone therapy (Androgen Deprivation Therapy).

On Wednesday 19 October from 10am to 8pm we’re holding a national call-in day on erectile dysfunction (ED) for men and their partners.

If you want to talk about management and treatment of ED or things such as low libido, shrinkage, body image or just plain frustration with it all, please call us for information and advice.

We’ll have our specially trained Telenursing team on deck to take your calls on 1800 22 00 99.

The European Society of Medical Oncology 2022 Conference was hosted in Paris from 9-13 September. Updates from some of the key clinical trials presented at the conference will be discussed in this blog.  

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.

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.

This month TENA Men has launched a new washable underwear range to help men impacted by light incontinence in the Wear it with Confidence campaign.

For one week only, from Wednesday September 21 to Tuesday September 27, PCFA friends can get 35% off* the new products using the discount code PCFA at checkout.

Have you ever felt like you have a story to tell just waiting to get out? Or thought journaling or keeping a diary might be a useful way of processing your experiences? Or just felt like getting something off your chest without burdening those around you with your angst?