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Life after prostate cancer surgery

25Nov

So, your surgery has been scheduled and you are all set to go. But what should you be ready for after your surgery?

Post-operation recovery

Depending on the type of surgery you undertake, recovery may require up to a few days of hospital stay, and a number of weeks of home-recovery—i.e. radical prostatectomy is major surgery. During this time most patients will experience a period of incontinence (due to damage to the urinary sphincter) and will have to wear a catheter. You should be able to return to a normal diet after a day or two.

The other typical experience is a period of impotence. While drugs may assist with achieving erection, prostate cancer surgery eliminates the possibility of ejaculation (by removing the seminal vesicles)—though orgasm will still occur.

Diet

After your surgery, it is likely that you will be on an all-liquid diet. This should quickly progress back to regular foods. However, you may want to consider some long-term adjustments:

  • more fruits and vegetables—foods high in lycopene (such as tomatoes, watermelon, carrots, asparagus, salsa and grapefruit) have been found to improve prostate health.
  • more nuts and seafood—foods high in selenium have also been found to be beneficial. Look to tuna, nuts, oysters and shrimp.
  • more fiber, less fat—increase your intake of whole grain foods, and limit fatty foods such as fried chicken, french fries, etc.

Pain

As with any surgery, there may be pain or bleeding following your operation. These side effects should go away after a few weeks—if pain persists, contact your healthcare professional.

Infertility

With the seminal vesicles removed, it is no longer possible for semen to travel down the urethra, prohibiting the fertilization of an egg.

Urinary incontinence and dysfunction

After prostate surgery it is common to experience urinary incontinence—everything from urinary leaking to complete loss of bladder control. Urinary dysfunction (pain during urination) is also common, and is caused by the close proximity of the prostate gland and the bladder. Bowel dysfunction may also occur due to damage done during surgery.

Tagged ed incontinence infertility prostate cancer prostate surgery radical prostatectomy
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Life after prostate cancer treatment (Part 2)

11Nov

In my last post I examined, from a high-level, what life is like after prostate cancer. In this post, I want to focus on the specifics of what to expect depending on your treatment option:

  • radical prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate);
  • external-beam radiation which targets the prostate as much as possible (trying to avoid the rectum and the bladder);
  • brachytherapy which sees tiny radioactive seeds implanted in the prostate.

While each is relatively effective at treating early-stage prostate cancer, each offers different outcomes for bowel, urinary and sexual function. Perhaps more important, however, is that there are differences in how much of an impact men perceive to their lifestyle from each option. For example, in one study done by Mark Litwin, MD, MPH, and reported in the June 1, 2007 issue of the journal Cancer, the following conclusions were reached, based on men's self-perceptions:

  • external-beam radiation therapy led to the best outcomes for urinary control and sexual function (however, the differences experienced by potent men undergoing radical prostatectomy was reduced by bilateral nerve-sparing surgery);
  • brachytherapy caused more obstructive and irritative symptoms;
  • radical prostatectomy led to the least bowel dysfunction.

However, the study's author noted that national outcomes vary widely from practitioner to practitioner: "One indication of really good quality care in prostate cancer is that a surgeon or radiologist tracks his or her own outcomes and can say, 'Here is my track record.'" (Life After Prostate Cancer by Daniel J. DeNoon. WebMD Health News.) 

You need to have a very frank conversation with your doctor about which side effects will bother you the most, and what their personal experience with outcomes and dysfunctions has been based on the treatment they have provided to other patients.

Tagged brachytherapy chemotherapy erectile dysfunction external-beam radiation outcomes prostate cancer prostate surgery radical prostatectomy treatment
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Prostate Cancer treatment: what to expect

15Oct

It may sound trite, but just like we are all individuals, so too is every treatment regimen unique. To determine the most appropriate course will likely involve a number of conversations with your cancer care team in order to arrive at a plan that fits your age, any other health conditions, the stage and grade of your cancer, etc.

In the previous posts on Prostate Cancer we've looked at causes, risk factors and detection, in this post we'll lay out some of the treatment options. Of course, you will want to discuss these (and any others) with your physician prior to making any decisions. There are four primary methods of treatment:

  • surgery—if the prostate cancer has not spread outside the gland, surgery may often be considered. In this option your surgeon will attempt to remove your entire prostate gland, along with the surrounding seminal vesicles.
  • radiation therapy—another option for cancer that hasn't spread very far is to use high-energy rays in an effort to kill the cancer cells.
  • hormone therapy—androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) aims to reduce the levels of male hormone (called androgens) in your body. Androgens will stimulate the growth of the prostate cancer cells, so lowering their concentration will often slow the growth of, or even diminish the size of your prostate—however, it does not cure prostate cancer.
  • chemotherapy—if prostate cancer has spread beyond the prostate gland, and hormone therapy is ineffective, chemotherapy may be used.

For a comprehensive list of prostate cancer treatment options check out the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (the NCCN develops treatment guidelines for doctors) and the National Cancer Institute (the NCI provides treatment guidelines via its website and its telephone information center at 1-800-4-CANCER). 

In my next post we'll look at the questions you should ask your doctor, along with a look at "life after treatment."

Tagged chemotherapy hormone therapy prostate cancer prostate surgery radiation therapy treatment
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June is Men's Health Month

4Jun
Did you know that June is Men's Health Month? Men's Health month was started in 1994 by Congress to show how simple diagnostic and screening tests can save your life. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Deaths that are often avoidable if caught early enough. If you are 40, you should get an annual rectal exam and prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test. In the early stages, prostate cancer often causes no symptoms for many years. As a matter of fact, these cancers frequently are first detected by an abnormality on a blood test (PSA) or as a hard nodule (lump) in the prostate gland. By the age of 50, one in four men have cancerous cells in the prostate gland and by the age of 80, your odds increase to one in two. Early detection increases your chance of a positive outcome, so get your prostate checked.
Tagged Community Health Talk General Health mens health month prostate cancer prostate surgery
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Free men's health seminar

26May
In an effort to continually educate the community, Drs Frankel, Reed, and Evans will share the latest discoveries and innovations within the field of urology for erectile dysfunction and incontinence due to prostate surgery, diabetes, or heart disease. On Saturday June 6th, the doctors will be discussing a wide range of treatment options to provide you with the information you need to find the solutions that's most satisfying to you and your partner. I encourage you to attend to gain greater understanding of why this occurs and receive answers to your questions about options to treat. In addition, Dr. Galen Bird, DVM and his wife Linda will be on hand to share their story of the successful treatment of ED and incontinence and its impact on their lives. Following the seminar you will have the chance to ask any questions about their success. Location: Highline Medical Center / Main Campus - Somers Auditorium. 16251 Sylvester Road SW, Burien, WA, 98166 (Google Map) Date: Saturday, June 6, 2009 Check-in begins at 9:00 Seminar: 9:30 - 11:00AM To register, call 1-877-433-2873 Please feel free to bring your partner. I look forward to seeing you there.
Tagged Community Health Talk diabetes erectile dysfunction heart disease incontinence post prostatectomy prostate surgery
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