Prostate Cancer and Work

Most of the men receiving the diagnosis of prostate cancerProstate Cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that surrounds the urethra just below the bladder. are retired, but there is also a significant proportion of men still working. Receiving the cancer diagnosis is for sure a shock for every man and difficult to process mentally. Apart from the mental and physical burden, the diagnosis has a huge impact on your everyday life – including work. Balancing doctor’s visits, potential treatments and therapy related side effects and required time off with your work is a big challenge.

Regarding your job certain decisions need to be taken and questions will arise.

Continue working or take a break?

Things need time, and you first should decide with your doctor about the next steps and a potential treatment plan. Most likely, things will change regarding your job, and you might need to decide whether you will be able to continue with your job the same way and to withstand the professional demands.

Perhaps you will need to take a break for treatments, potential hospitalization, surgery, and recovery.

It also might happen that – depending on the severity of your disease – you need to reduce hours or even stop working and start early retirement.

In any case, you should consider talking to your employer and maybe also to your colleagues about your cancer diagnosis.

What should I tell my employer?

You are not obliged to inform your employer about your cancer diagnosis. However, if you don’t they might not be able to support you. To prepare for the conversation with your employer,  you should first have a discussion with your medical team about what to expect and how your treatment might affect your ability to work: treatment plans, time off you might need, potential work adjustments, e.g., reduced hours or home office, etc.

Depending on your role at work it could be helpful for all sides to be as open as possible from the beginning. You can be honest about the possibility  that you might be away for a longer period of time or that you will need to take recovery times after repeated treatments and your employer can choose arrange a replacement for you during this time if needed. Although things might need to be rearranged, speaking openly can reduce stress on all sides.

Some men might be afraid of losing their jobs. The Equality Act (or Disability Discrimination Act in Northern Ireland) protects people with physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities, such as work. Anyone who has or has had cancer is protected by this law: Employers need to help you to carry on working. These can be different things, e.g., the permission to work from home, to take more breaks, to change your workplace (e.g., sit closer to the bathroom) etc. This can only happen if your employer is aware of your condition.

Should I talk to my colleagues about prostate cancerProstate Cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that surrounds the urethra just below the bladder.?

You need to decide by yourself whether you want to inform your colleagues about your cancer disease. If you have a trusting, good relationship with your colleagues, an open conversation may be very helpful. You can only count on support and understanding if those around you know about your prostate cancerProstate Cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that surrounds the urethra just below the bladder., and this might help to better understand behaviours and absence times. In addition, you are certainly not the only man with prostate cancerProstate Cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that surrounds the urethra just below the bladder. – cancer in general is very common. And almost everyone knows someone in their circle of friends who has cancer. So maybe you should take courage and tell your colleagues openly how things are going for you.

How to manage side effects of treatment at work?

Depending on your treatment of prostate cancerProstate Cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that surrounds the urethra just below the bladder., side effects might occur and can interfere with your work. After surgery or radiation therapyRadiation therapy An umbrella term for cancer treatments that deliver high doses of radiation to the tumour in order to shrink it or stop its growth, by damaging and killing the cancer cells., many men suffer from urinary incontinenceUrinary Incontinence The loss of bladder control that leads to unintentional urination . Having to go to the toilet frequently is a big issue for men going to work. Working from home or – if this is not possible – a workplace closer to the toilet could be an advantage.

Extreme tiredness – also known as fatigue – is a very common side effect of prostate cancerProstate Cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that surrounds the urethra just below the bladder. and its treatments (in particular radiation therapyRadiation therapy An umbrella term for cancer treatments that deliver high doses of radiation to the tumour in order to shrink it or stop its growth, by damaging and killing the cancer cells.). You might have difficulties  concentrating on your work, which might affect productivity. As surprising as it sounds, in terms of managing fatigue exercise helps many patients more that rest. Maybe it could be helpful to do some exercises or go for a short walk outside during lunch break. You need to feel comfortable and find your way to integrate any support measure to your daily routine. But don’t hesitate to discuss openly with your employer if you think you need some rest breaks or if you feel unable to work as before your diagnosis.

If you feel your side effects of prostate cancerProstate Cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that surrounds the urethra just below the bladder. and its treatments are overwhelming you, talk to your doctor or medical team to get help.

After prostate cancerProstate Cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that surrounds the urethra just below the bladder. survival: Returning to work?

Many men would like to return to their former “normal” life and work as quickly as possible after prostate cancerProstate Cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that surrounds the urethra just below the bladder. treatment.

Whether this is successful also depends on your career. There is a difference between  an office job or a manual job that is very physically demanding. Men do not always have full physical abilities  and fitness after the strenuous cancer treatments. Also, a common problem is fatigue. Some men are mentally and emotionally exhausted.

However, for many men, returning to work is extremely important for their self-confidence and self-esteem. You again have a social environment that focuses on topics other than illness and cancer treatments. Work and conversations with colleagues often offer a good distraction from cancer and a bit of normal everyday life. This is also important so that you don’t constantly think about your cancer. The job also can give you the feeling of being needed again and of being an important member of society. A feeling that improves the quality of life.

And finally, the job and the work offer economic security. You may also be entitled to some benefits that will cushion the financial losses. Discuss with your health insurance for further information.

Before you take the decision to return to work – be honest with yourself if you feel physically and mentally able to do so.