Impotence and leakage of urine from the bladder can occur in men treated with surgery. Transurethral resection cuts cancer from the prostate using a tool with a small wire loop on the end that is put into the prostate through the urethra. This operation is sometimes done to relieve symptoms caused by the tumor before other treatment or in men who cannot have a radical prostatectomy because of age or other illness. Cryosurgery is a type of surgery that kills the cancer by freezing it. Impotence may occur in men treated with radiation therapy.
Hormone therapy uses hormones to stop cancer cells from growing.
Hormone therapy for prostate cancer can take several forms. To stop the cancer from growing, female hormones or drugs called LHRH agonists that decrease the amount of male hormones made may be given. This treatment is usually used in men with advanced prostate cancer. Other side effects that can occur after orchiectomy and other hormone therapies include hot flashes, impaired sexual function, and loss of desire for sex. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells.