Preparing a list of questions to ask your prostate cancer surgeon helps you leave each appointment with clarity rather than more uncertainty. Consultations can feel overwhelming, particularly soon after a diagnosis. Writing your questions down in advance keeps the conversation focused and makes the most of your time.
This guide groups the most useful questions by stage, so you can bring the right ones to each appointment.
Questions about your diagnosis
Understanding your diagnosis shapes every decision that follows. Useful questions to ask your prostate cancer surgeon at this stage include:
- What does my Gleason score and grade group mean?
- What did my mpMRI scan show, and how was it scored?
- Is the cancer confined to the prostate?
- Which risk category am I in, and how was that decided?
Risk categories follow NICE guidance on prostate cancer, which sets national standards for assessment and treatment. Our prostate cancer page explains these terms in more detail.
Questions about treatment options
Next, compare your options directly. Ask whether active surveillance is appropriate for you, what robotic prostatectomy would involve, and how surgery compares with radiotherapy or other treatments for someone with your diagnosis.
It is also worth asking what would happen if you waited before deciding. In many cases there is time to consider your options carefully without added risk, and knowing this can ease the pressure to decide immediately.
Questions about experience and outcomes
Do not hesitate to ask your surgeon about their own track record. Good questions to ask your prostate cancer surgeon include how many procedures like yours they have performed, what their continence and erectile function outcomes are, and how often they find cancer at the edge of the removed tissue, known as a positive margin.
An experienced surgeon will generally welcome these questions. Transparent outcome data is increasingly expected in both private and NHS practice. Our article on why surgeon experience matters explains why these figures are important.
Questions about risks and recovery
Practical questions should cover risks honestly. Ask about the chances of urinary leakage or erection problems, how long recovery usually takes, and what support is available if complications arise.
It often helps to ask how these risks compare between treatments rather than looking at each one in isolation. That comparison gives a clearer sense of the overall trade-offs. You may also want to ask when you can return to work, drive and exercise.
Questions about follow-up care
Finally, ask how follow-up will work. How often will your PSA be checked after treatment? What result would suggest the cancer has returned? Who should you contact with concerns between appointments?
Knowing the answers in advance helps you feel supported once treatment is over. The recovery guide describes what the months after surgery usually involve.
Questions if you are considering a second opinion
If you remain unsure after your first consultation, ask whether a second opinion would be reasonable. Most surgeons are happy to help by sharing scans and results promptly. Our article on seeking a second opinion explains when this makes sense.
Making the most of your appointment
Bring a written list of questions to ask your prostate cancer surgeon rather than relying on memory. A great deal of information is often covered in one appointment, and it is easy to forget something important.
It can also help to bring a partner, relative or friend to take notes. Many men find they absorb only part of the conversation when discussing a diagnosis as significant as prostate cancer. Charities such as Prostate Cancer UK offer further question lists and support.
If you are preparing for a consultation and would like to talk through your questions, please contact the clinic to book an appointment.