EAU Patient Information launches extensive materials on prostate cancer

The EAU continues to expand its tools for improving relations between doctors and patients in Europe and around the world. A comprehensive set of EAU Patient Information leaflets on Prostate Cancer is now available online. The leaflets can also be downloaded for offline use. This new publication is an important milestone, given the need for clear and reliable information on prostate cancer.

“The prevalence of prostate cancer in the average urology practice makes this topic particularly suited for patient-oriented information,” explained Prof. Thorsten Bach (DE), EAU Patient Information Project Consultant. “For one thing, multiple interest groups publish information about potential treatment options or even cures. These publications range from serious information to low-level commercial advertisements concealed as patient information. Most people are not able to distinguish between the high-quality and the misleading information,” Bach continued.

EAU Patient Information on Prostate Cancer guarantees that the provided information is reliable and unbiased. The leaflets are written by medical doctors, nurses, and patients, and present the most up-to-date information on diagnosis, treatment, and support for prostate cancer patients. The quality of the information is ensured, as the information is completely in line with the latest version of EAU Guidelines on Prostate Cancer. The works are complemented with insights from nurses and patients, particularly in the topics of post-treatment care and support.

Bach: “Another difficulty for many prostate cancer patients and the people close to them is understanding the great variety of possible treatment modalities. Each treatment pathway has its advantages and disadvantages and it can be overwhelming for patients to see which option is best for their individual situation.”

EAU Patient Information gives a comprehensive overview of all established and evidence-based treatment options for the various stages of prostate cancer. Patients can find the most current information on treatment options on the easy-to-navigate website, as well as in the printable leaflets. By addressing possible side effects and the impact on the quality of life of each treatment modality, this information set helps patients to understand their treatment options better and enables them to make the right decision together with their doctor.

For doctors, the custom-made illustrations provide an excellent tool to talk about procedures with each patient. The leaflets can be downloaded as a set or separately for each stage of the disease, allowing for flexibility during the consult. “This set-up is designed to allow patients to ask the right questions during consultation,” said Bach.

The initiative relies on medically-approved translations of the materials into languages as diverse as Spanish, Latvian, and Turkish, which allows more patients in Europe and beyond to benefit from the material. The first translations of Patient Information on Prostate Cancer will appear later this year.Visit the website at http://patients.uroweb.org/prostate-cancer