For prostate cancer patients, the most valuable resource might not be a new drug or surgical technique, but something far less tangible but just as valuable: the experience of another patient.
For decades, men diagnosed with prostate cancer have faced a paradox. The disease is common—one in eight men will be diagnosed in their lifetime—yet the conversations around it are often private, even silent.
"There's a stigma, a sense that you're supposed to tough it out," says Dr. Lauren Walker, a Calgary-based psychologist who works with cancer survivors." But the data shows that isolation can be as damaging as the disease itself."
A growing body of research is beginning to quantify what many survivors have long suspected: peer-to-peer support changes outcomes. A 2020 study from Vancouver Coastal Health found that men who participated in peer-led groups reported lower levels of anxiety and depression, and were more likely to seek out information about their treatment options. The effect isn't just emotional.
According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, men in support networks are more likely to adhere to follow-up care and report higher satisfaction with their treatment decisions.
Part of it is practical: men share tips on managing side effects, navigating the healthcare system, and talking to family members. But there's also something subtler at work. "It's about seeing someone who's been through it and come out the other side," says Chelsea Anderson, a psychologist who regularly speaks at Calgary's PROSTAID meetings. "That kind of hope is hard to manufacture in a clinical setting."
The old model—a handful of men in a church basement—has given way to hybrid meetings, breakout sessions for caregivers, and guest speakers ranging from oncologists to trauma specialists. At PROSTAID Calgary, a volunteer-run nonprofit founded in 1993, monthly meetings now include both in-person and Zoom options, and feature sessions tailored for patients, survivors, and caregivers.
The group doesn't offer medical advice, but it does provide something harder to find: a space where men can talk about everything from treatment side effects to the impact on relationships, without fear of judgment.
Discussions at support meetings tackle a broad spectrum of topics beyond the basics of diagnosis and treatment. For example:
Science is catching up to the lived experience. As Dr. Herbert Geller noted at ASCO GU 2022, peer-led groups are uniquely positioned to address the "whole person," not just the disease.
Still, not every peer-to-peer support group is the same. Some are tightly focused on medical information, others on emotional support. The best combine both, and offer flexibility—whether that means a monthly meeting at a community center, a private online forum, or a newsletter.
For men facing prostate cancer, the message is clear: you don't have to go it alone. The science, and the stories, suggest that reaching out to others isn't just helpful—it's transformative.
