Surgical treatments used to be the front line of prostateThe prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the bla... Full Definition cancerCancer is a group of diseases where cells grow abnormally an... Full Definition care. That is changing, but surgery still plays an important role in cancer care. More important, there are new surgical procedures and refinements to old ones that provide new and better options than ever before.
Who is this treatment best for?
Men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer that is contained within the prostate or nearby tissues.
What to Expect
During a radical prostatectomy, a urologist removes the prostate and some of the tissue around it. An anesthesiologist will provide general anesthesia. The urologist may perform open surgery, removing the gland through an incision in the lower abdomen or the perineum, between the scrotum and anus. Alternatively, laparoscopic surgery is done through small incisions in the belly.
Since the prostate borders both the cluster of nerves that control sexual function and the urinary tract, surgeons are careful to proceed with caution. Modern nerve-sparing surgical techniques strive to preserve as much functionality as possible.
Who orders or performs the treatment?
What are common side effects?
Men may experience erectile dysfunction (30–87%, depending on how much nerve-sparing technique can be used), though about half who experience this will recover their ability to have an erection within a year. Men may also experience urinary incontinence or other urinary troubles because the urethra must be cut and reconnected to remove the prostate (~5% experience total incontinence, but many will have temporary leakage). These conditions also improve within a year in most cases, but some men require additional surgery to correct them.