A diagnosis of cancer can be hard to deal with. We have information about dealing with your diagnosis and the emotional impact of living with prostate cancer. This information applies to you whether you are trans, cis or non-binary.
If you’re a trans woman or non-binary person assigned male at birth you may have additional worries and fears about a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Some people worry about being treated as male. Others may feel pressured to be outed. Some trans women may feel embarrassed to sit in a waiting room full of men in a urology clinic.
There are things that can help if you feel this way. If you feel able to speak to your GP, you could ask them to share your trans history with other health professionals so you don’t have to explain your situation over and over again. You’ll need to give your GP permission to do this as they’re not allowed to disclose these details about you without your permission.
You may also ask to be seen at the start or end of a clinic, or to attend a clinic where there is a more mixed waiting room.
Ask your GP to refer you to a counsellor if you need support with your feelings. If you’re not already under the care of a gender identity clinic, you can ask to be referred to one for more support.
Many health professionals won’t know a lot about prostate problems in trans women so you could suggest they contact a gender identity clinic for expert guidance.
Read our tips on talking to a health professional about prostate problems.