Life Insurance for someone with Prostate Cancer

The prostate is a gland found in men located below the bladder and surrounding the urethra and is part of the male reproductive system.

What is Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer is one of the most common health concerns among American men today. While this condition can affect men of any age, it mainly develops in those who are 50 years old or older. Additionally, it seems to occur more often in African-American men than in any other nationality.

This is a slow-developing cancer, which typically does not show any symptoms until it has progressed into its later stages. However, prostate cancer can be extremely dangerous if it is left untreated or if it spreads outside of the prostate. When it spreads to other parts of the body, it is often fatal.

While it is not known what causes prostate cancer, there are many factors that are thought to increase your risk of developing it. Some of these factors include eating a lot of fatty red meat, being frequently exposed to cadmium (a metal) and living an extremely sedentary lifestyle.

Common Treatments for Prostate Cancer

Fortunately, when you seek treatment for prostate cancer during its early stages, your prognosis is good. With all of today’s advancements though, deciding on a treatment path can be a bit difficult. Nevertheless, before you and your doctor can decide on a treatment plan, your cancer will need to be categorized.

There are three categories of prostate cancer, and they are organ-confined (involving only the prostate), locally advanced (a large tumor that may or may not have spread locally) and metastatic (cancer that has spread widely). Common treatments for organ-confined or locally advanced cancer include surgery, cryotherapy, radiation therapy and/or hormonal therapy.

While there are no cures for metastatic prostate cancer, it is possible to slow its progression through such treatment methods as chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy. The goals of treating metastatic cancer patients are to slow the growth of tumors and relieve any symptoms they may be experiencing.

Life Insurance for someone with Prostate Cancer

Once a PSA is above a 4.0 a Doctor will then order a biopsy to determine if there are signs of cancer.  If the proposed insured has had this completed and has had an indication of cancer, carriers will ask these common questions:

• What was the age at diagnosis and date when treatment ended?
• What was the Prostate Cancer stage and/or grade?
• What was the Gleason score? (a tumor grading, based on how different from normal tissue the cells are)
• How was the cancer treated?…and has there been any recurrence?
• What was the pre-op PSA reading?
• What is the current, or most recent PSA reading?…
  has there been good follow up?

But a lower stage/grade cancer and a Gleason of 2-6 will often are available for offer as soon as treatment as been completed, typically in the Table 2-4 range, depending on the age.

Standard offers are possible with low staging, usually at 5 years post prostatectomy, and 10 years if treated with radiation.

Underwriting decisions for prostate cancer are based on the tumor grading and what the Gleason score and PSA were, prior to surgery, as well as age and time since treatment ended.

Diagnosis prior to age 50 or with a Gleason of 9 or greater will typically have a 5 year postponement period.

Once you start your search for a life insurance plan, please give me a call and we will go over the questionnaire, I will then work with my underwriter to see what plans might be available.

My number is 512-963-5000