The ideal patient has a PSA less than 10, non palpable disease and low to moderate grade. Benefits Surgery offers the highest cure rate in high grade disease. Preoperative staging generally underestimates disease to a degree. Disadvantages Risk of surgery. Cancer may have spread already, undetected.
Incontinence can occur.
Radical radiotherapy Involves external beam radiotherapy to the prostate Benefits High cure rate in low grade disease. Can treat outside the prostate. Well tolerated, less incontinence. Disadvantages Inferior to surgery in cure for higher grade disease. Cancer may continue to grow.