Although doctors plan treatment very carefully, it is hard to limit the effects of treatment so that only cancer cells are damaged. Because healthy tissue also may be injured, treatment often causes unpleasant side effects. The side effects of cancer treatment vary. They depend mainly on the type and extent of the treatment. Also, each person reacts differently.
Doctors try to plan the patient's therapy to keep problems to a minimum.
They watch patients very closely so they can help with any problems that occur. In the past, surgery to remove the prostate often caused permanent impotence and sometimes caused urinary incontinence. Today, these side effects do not occur as often as in the past. Many surgeons use new techniques, especially when operating on men with fairly small tumors. These techniques may allow surgeons to avoid permanent injury to the nerves that control erection and damage to the opening of the bladder.