Rudy Giuliani's Battle with Prostate Cancer
- The former NYC mayor was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2000, forcing him to drop out of the 2000 Senate race to pursue treatment.
- There are many options for treating prostate cancer; doctors sometimes disagree on which might be best for you.
- It’s important to get a second opinion to make sure you are receiving the best care possible.
Giuliani announced that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in April 2000. The news came six years into his tenure as mayor of New York City as Giuliani was campaigning in a highly-contested US Senate race.
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Giuliani would soon after drop out of the Senate race to focus on his recovery. He underwent a three-part treatment plan: hormone treatment, brachytherapy (known as internal radiation or radioactive seed implants), and external radiation.As he entered remission, Giuliani acknowledged his battle with cancer changed him for the better, saying, “You empathize with people more, you feel a lot more for people.”
Prostate Cancer Treatment Options
Later advocating for prostate cancer patients and survivors, Giuliani acknowledged what many in the cancer community already know: different people might require different treatment.
“The choice that I made is a good one for me; there are 10 other variations which would be good ones for other people,” Giuliani told the New York Times.
Even the best doctors and medical professionals sometimes disagree about the best course of treatment for prostate cancer. While available treatments have increased in number since Giuliani’s diagnosis, each has unique side effects that you should discuss with your doctor.
Don't Believe the Hype: Do Your Own Research on Prostate Cancer Treatment
The traditional approach to treating prostate cancer is surgery to remove the entire prostate. While some doctors still regard this as the best treatment option, this is a a drastic procedure that might affect your ability to urinate or have an erection.
Related: The Debate About When To Have Prostate Surgery
Radiation is often used as an alternative to surgery to eliminate cancerous cells from the prostate while avoiding the potentially life-altering side effects of surgery. There are two main forms of radiation treatment: external radiation and brachytherapy, which places small radioactive implants in the prostate. Erectile dysfunction is still possible with these treatments, although urinary issues are less likely.
Hormonal therapy focuses on reducing the amount of androgens, which are male hormones that fuel prostate cancer growth, in the body. Fatigue, fat gain, and muscle loss are possible with this treatment.
Get a Second Opinion
People battling cancer should always know the exact nature of their diagnosis and the full extent of their treatment options. To do that, you should always get multiple opinions.
Related: Second Opinions on Your Cancer Diagnosis or Treatment: Do You Need One?
Doctors are not always in agreement about the best ways to treat cancer. Sometimes, what your first doctor recommends might fall short, and a second or third medical professional might be able to show you more options that could help you in your fight.
Dr. Steven Rosenburg, Chief of Surgery at the National Cancer Institute and one of the most renowned cancer doctors in America, agrees.
“If I had any advice for you following a cancer diagnosis, it would be, first, to seek out multiple opinions as to the best care, because finding a doctor who is up to the latest of information is important,” Rosenburg previously told SurvivorNet. “And it’s always important to get other opinions so that you can make the best decisions for yourself in consultation with your care providers.”
Cancer Research Legend Urges Patients to Get Multiple Opinions
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