Treatments

Prostate Cancer

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A diagnosis of prostate cancer can be life-changing, but there are treatment options that can help preserve your quality of life during and after treatment.

Make an informed decision about prostate cancer treatments

When things feel uncertain, it can help to know you have control over your care. Your doctor will help you to understand which prostate cancer treatments may be suitable for you based on the stage and grade of your disease. They’ll explain what’s involved and what you can expect from each treatment type, so together you can make an informed decision about your next steps.

Explore your prostate cancer treatment options

You will find below a summary of some of the potential benefits and risks associated with common prostate cancer treatments.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy means the use of radiation, usually x-rays, to treat cancer. You might have radiotherapy from inside the body, called internal radiotherapy. Or external radiotherapy, which is from outside the body.

You may have radiotherapy:

- to try to cure cancer
- to reduce the chance of cancer coming back
- to help relieve symptoms

Radiotherapy is a type of ionising radiation (high energy) that destroys cancer cells in the treated area by damaging the DNA. Radiation also affects normal cells. This can cause side effects in the treatment area.
Usually the side effects improve a few weeks after treatment. But some might continue long term. Your doctor will talk this through with you before you start treatment. They will also discuss possible ways of managing side effects.

59 million people affected by Atrial Fibrillation

Potential Benefits

  • you can be treated without needing an overnight stay
  • radiotherapy is a highly effective, safe cancer treatment and is 8 times more effective than chemotherapy1
  • it is non-invasive / minimally-invasive

 

59 million people affected by Atrial Fibrillation

Risks & possible side effects (depending on the type of radiation you receive)

  • bowel problems, including radiation proctitis (injury or damage to the rectum secondary to radiation therapy due to close proximity of the rectum to the prostate), which can lead to diarrhoea and stool leakage
  • urinary problems including a burning sensation when you pee, blood in your urine and urinary incontinence
  • erectile dysfunction issues

 

A physician explains unrinary incontinance to her elderly patients

Minimizing side effects of prostate cancer radiotherapy

Unsurprisingly, many men would prefer to avoid the potentially unpleasant side effects of radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer. One way to do this is by putting some distance between the prostate and rectum, to reduce the amount of radiation that reaches the rectum during treatment. There are products designed to help, including hydrogel spacers.

Learn more about Hydrogel spacers

Active surveillance

Active surveillance refers to a “watch and wait” approach to your prostate cancer. This may be recommended if your prostate cancer is growing very slowly, is small and ‘low-risk’ and not causing any symptoms. It involves monitoring your prostate cancer closely, with a regular schedule of blood test(s) plus a scan or biopsy perhaps, to ensure your disease remains stable.

59 million people affected by Atrial Fibrillation

Benefits

  • drug-free and non-invasive
  • no risk of side effects
  • can take place for months or years

 

59 million people affected by Atrial Fibrillation

Risks & possible side effects

  • there is a chance that your cancer will progress, but this should be detected with routine monitoring
  • it is not suitable for everyone

 

Surgery

Surgery is a common choice for treating prostate cancer that has not spread beyond the prostate gland. The main type of surgery is known as a radical prostatectomy, in which the entire prostate gland and some of the surrounding tissues are removed. This can take place as an open, robotic, or laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery. There are also some variations of prostate surgery. These include Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) which is more often used to treat men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPE) but can also be used to relieve symptoms in men with advanced prostate cancer.

59 million people affected by Atrial Fibrillation

Benefits

  • a highly successful treatment for many types of prostate cancer
  • if the cancer has not spread outside the prostate, removing it may cure the cancer and eliminate the need for any other treatment
  • does not require ongoing use of medications
  • can be performed laparoscopically in some cases

 

59 million people affected by Atrial Fibrillation

Risks & possible side effects (depending on the type of radiation you receive)

  • standard surgical risks such as reactions to anaesthesia, bleeding, infection, blood clots and damage to nearby organs apply
  • urinary incontinence. Studies suggest that as many as 50% of men report leakage immediately following surgery for prostate cancer but most heal within the first few weeks to few months. Somewhere between 9 and 16% of men will have persistent Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) one year after surgery2
  • erectile dysfunction. 25-75% of men who have a nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy experience ED after treatment3. Some men may regain their previous level of erectile function (although it may take up to a year) while for others, ED may persist a year or more after surgery
  • changes in orgasm
  • lymphedema, which is fluid collection in the legs or genital region
  • loss of fertility
  • slight decrease in the length of your penis
  • inguinal hernia (protruding abdominal tissue)

 

Cryoablation

Cryoablation is a minimally-invasive prostate cancer treatment that uses extreme cold to target and destroy cancer cells. It’s performed under anaesthesia and involves your urologist using a transrectal ultrasound to guide several hollow probes through the skin into the prostate. Cold gases are passed through these needles to perform the cryoablation.

59 million people affected by Atrial Fibrillation

Benefits

  • minimally invasive 
  • often a suitable treatment for men whose cancer has returned after radiation therapy and may be recommended for men with low risk, early-stage prostate cancer who are not good candidates for radiotherapy or surgery

 

59 million people affected by Atrial Fibrillation

Risk & side effects

  • side effects are usually worse in men who have previously had radiotherapy before cryotherapy
  • blood in your urine for up to 48 hours
  • swelling of the penis and scrotum
  • mild erectile dysfunction issues5 and/or urinary incontinence

 

Are you experiencing urinary incontinence?

Learn more about urinary incontinence

Are you experiencing erectile dysfunction?

Learn more about erectile dysfunction

Frequently asked questions about prostate cancer treatments

Every patient is different. Your urologist will discuss your personal diagnosis with you and explain which prostate cancer treatments may be suitable. Together, you can create a bespoke treatment plan that is tailored precisely to your needs.

If you’ve had laparoscopic or robotic prostate cancer surgery, you can usually go home after 1 or 2 days. If you have open surgery, you can expect to stay in hospital for up to a week. Most people can expect to get back to their normal activities within 4 to 12 weeks after surgery, but exactly how long it will take will depend on the type of surgery you had and your natural recovery.4

Urinary incontinence is a common problem following prostate cancer treatment. This is because of how close the prostate is to the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of the body. Fortunately, there are urinary incontinence treatments that can help.

Erectile dysfunction is a common side effect of a radical prostatectomy, which is one of the main surgical prostate cancer treatments, as well as being used to treat some cases of benign prostate enlargement (BPE). There are a range of erectile dysfunction treatments available.

The most common prostate cancer treatment option is radiation therapy. There can be side effects. Many of the side effects of radiotherapy for prostate cancer are caused by radiation affecting the healthy cells near the prostate. You can help to reduce any damage to these healthy cells by using a product such as a hydrogel spacer.

A physician explains unrinary incontinance to her elderly patients

Find a prostate cancer specialist who offers SpaceOARTM Hydrogel near you

Talk to your urologist or oncologist about your prostate cancer concerns and ask any questions you may have. They will be able to explain your risks, what’s involved in the diagnostic process and if you are diagnosed, what you can expect from your treatment.

Please note that only physicians who offer SpaceOAR Hydrogel alongside radiation therapy are listed. Need help to prepare for your appointment/consultation?

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References:

  1. Radiotherapy key facts. RadiotherapyUK. https://radiotherapy.org.uk/get-involved/r4l-campaign-page/key-facts/ #:~:text=Radiotherapy%20is%20a%20highly%20effective%2C%20safe%20cancer%20treatment,professionals%20using%20high%20energ y%20X-rays%20which%20kill%20cancer. 
  2. Smith, I.R.; McLeod, N.; and Rashid, P.; (2010, May 5) Erectile Dysfunction: When tablets don’t work
  3. Observation or Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/content/cancer/en/cancer/ prostate-cancer/treating/watchful-waiting. Accessed August, 2023.
  4. Catalona WJ, Ramos CG, Carvalhal GF. Contemporary results of anatomic radical prostatectomy. CA Cancer J Clin. 1999 Sep-Oct;49(5):282 96. 
  5. Macmillan Cancer Support (2024, Aug 1) Prostatectomy for prostate cancer https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatments-and-drugs/prostatectomy-for-prostate-cancer 
  6. Catalona WJ, Ramos CG, Carvalhal GF. Contemporary results of anatomic radical prostatectomy. CA Cancer J Clin. 1999 Sep-Oct;49(5):282 96.

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