National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute
U.S. National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute
NCI Home Cancer Topics Clinical Trials Cancer Statistics Research & Funding News About NCI
Treatment Choices for Men With Early-Stage Prostate Cancer



Introduction






Facts about Prostate Cancer






Thinking About Treatment Choices






Comparing Your Treatment Options






Making a Choice About Treatment






Resources



Page Options
Print This Page  Print This Page
Print This Document  Print This Document
View Entire Document  View Entire Document
E-Mail This Document  E-Mail This Document
PDF Version  View/Print PDF
Quick Links
Director's Corner

Dictionary of Cancer Terms

NCI Drug Dictionary

Funding Opportunities

NCI Publications

Advisory Boards and Groups

Science Serving People

Español
NCI Highlights
Virtual and Standard Colonoscopy Both Accurate

New Study of Targeted Therapies for Breast Cancer

The Nation's Investment in Cancer Research FY 2009

Cancer Trends Progress Report: 2007 Update

Past Highlights
You CAN Quit Smoking Now!
7. How can I live with side effects? What can be done to help?

Watchful Waiting

There are no side effects.

Surgery

Knowing the possible side effects you may have before surgery is very important.

Medicines such as sidenafil (Viagra®), vardenafil (Levitra®), and tadalafil (Cialis®) increase blood flow to the penis, leading to an erection.

Injection therapy (or shots) can help with getting an erection. Medicine is self-injected with a needle into the penis to produce an erection. The drug takes about 5 minutes to work and lasts for 20 to 90 minutes.

For men who don't do well with either oral medicine or injection therapy, they should talk with their doctor about other options. This includes MUSE (medicated urethral system for erection), where a small pellet is inserted into the urethra using an applicator to help with erections. Vacuum erection devices or penile implants can be other options to help with erections.

Lack of bladder control may be severe for about 6 to 12 weeks after surgery. During this time, you will need to wear a pad. Emptying your bladder often may help to control leaks. Other options for managing incontinence include absorbent products, collection devices, biofeedback, and various surgical options.

Radiation Therapy

Bladder and bowel function may be affected, but there are bladder muscle exercises and medications that can help.

< Previous Question  |  Back to Questions List  |  Next Question >





< Previous Section  |  Next Section >


A Service of the National Cancer Institute
Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health USA.gov