At age 72, your father still has a 10-year life expectancy that could be shortened by prostate cancer. Age 72 is “borderline” for a radical prostatectomy, but if he were otherwise healthy, he would be a legitimate candidate for the operation. There is no reason to believe that surgery would “destroy everything,” if he chooses a good, experienced surgeon. His other option for cure would be radiotherapy. Hormonal therapy would almost certainly slow the progression of the cancer, perhaps for the rest of his natural life, but that result could not be guaranteed.