VIDEO: Building Your Prostate Cancer Medical Team | Mark Scholz, MD | PCRI

A common question on the PCRI helpline is, "Which types of physicians should I be seeing?" This question is especially important in prostate cancer since it is the only form of cancer that is regularly diagnosed, staged, and treated without any consultation with an oncologist -- that is, a doctor who specializes in knowledge and treatment of cancer. Here, medical oncologist Mark Scholz, MD, explains the roles of the different physicians.

0:07 What are the differences between the different physicians that a patient would encounter in the course of prostate cancer diagnosis, staging, and treatment?

3:35 Do urologists have any internist training?

4:57 Do urologists ever make recommendations that are not surgery?

5:51 When should a patient be seeking out medical oncologists?

6:52 How should a patient evaluate the quality and experience of medical oncologists?

8:06 What other kinds of physicians are involved (or should be involved) in prostate cancer diagnosis, staging, and treatment?

9:40 If a patient only has access to a general oncologist (i.e. without special experience in prostate or genitourinary cancers) is it worth seeing them in addition to a urologists?

10:50 How much urgency should a patient have when seeking out physicians with whom they are satisfied?

12:38 How much urgency should a patient have if they have Gleason 9?

Don’t know your stage? Take the quiz: Visit http://www.prostatecancerstaging.org

To learn more about prostate cancer visit http://www.pcri.org

Who we are: The Prostate Cancer Research Institute (PCRI) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to helping you research your treatment options. We understand that you have many questions, and we can help you find the answers that are specific to your case. All of our resources are designed by a multidisciplinary team of advocates and expert physicians, for patients. We believe that by educating yourself about the disease, you will have more productive interactions with your medical professionals and receive better individualized care.

Feel free to explore our website or contact our free helpline at https://pcri.org/helpline with any questions that you have. Our Federal Tax ID # is 95-4617875 and qualifies for maximum charitable gift deductions by individual donors. The information on the Prostate Cancer Research Institute's YouTube channel is provided with the understanding that the Institute is not engaged in rendering medical advice or recommendation. The information provided in these videos should not replace consultations with qualified health care professionals to meet your individual medical needs.