Today, more men are surviving the cancer. When it s found in early stages, where it s still localized to the prostate, five-year survival rates are nearly 100 percent. Even when it has spread to nearby tissues, survival rates are still about 94 percent. Once the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, only about 31 percent of patients survive five years or more. Overcoming the Adverse Effects of Radical Prostatectomy Surgery for prostate cancer is called a prostatectomy.
Doctors remove the diseased prostate and nearby tissue into which the cancer has spread.
This treatment is most effective for early, localized cancer. Prostatectomy is a major operation which can cause side effects, such as incontinence and impotence. Rates of impotence vary with the surgeon s experience, extent of cancer and age of the patient. Newer, nerve-sparing techniques have decreased the likelihood of impotence after prostatectomy, but surgeons would like to do even better. Now, a new device may help improve the odds against impotence.