Since men tend to be older when diagnosed with prostate cancer, doctors may not discuss the possibility of infertility after treatment. But they probably should because certain prostate cancer treatments can cause infertility.
And while the average age for a man to be diagnosed with prostate cancer is 68, according to the American Cancer Society, about 10% of cases occur in men under 55. And that number continues to rise, making it even more important for doctors and prostate cancer patients to talk about infertility.
Here’s why:
If a man opts for surgery, doctors remove the prostate gland and the seminal vesicles, which carry sperm from the urethra and out through the penis during ejaculation, according to WebMD.
And with traditional radiation, the treatment changes the semen and makes it more difficult for the semen to transport sperm.
Men who want to have children after prostate cancer, may want to discuss ways to preserve sperm.
If a man opts for surgery, he may want to talk to his doctor about nerve-sparing prostatectomy, which may leave him more likely to have an erection after treatment.
Sperm banking or freezing sperm may be another option. Later, doctors can thaw the sperm and use it for artificial insemination.
CyberKnife: The Prostate Cancer Treatment to Increase the Chances of Fertility Post-Cancer
However, if a man chooses radiation, he may want to consider treatment with CyberKnife, a state-of-the-art pinpointed form of radiation, according to the experts at the CyberKnife Center of Miami. With CyberKnife, the chance of infertility post-treatment is greatly reduced.
“You’re not usually getting any of these types of problems with CyberKnife because your just treating the tumor area,” says CyberKnife Miami’s Medical Director, board-certified radiation oncologist, Dr. Mark Pomper.
CyberKnife uses robotic and image-guided technology to deliver larger doses of radiation to the precise area where the cancer is located leaving healthy tissue unharmed.
“Sterility is not a problem for men having CyberKnife therapy,” says Dr. Pomper. “However, it is a big problem for men undergoing standard radiation therapy and surgery for prostate cancer. They are advised to bank sperm if they want to have children in the future.”
Here are other CyberKnife advantages for prostate cancer:
- It has a high success rate for prostate cancer.
- It can be done in five radiation therapy sessions over 10 days compared to 42 over three months with other types of radiation treatments.
- It’s noninvasive and done on an outpatient basis.
- It has none of the risks that come with surgery including infection, bleeding and downtime.
- The radiation targets and destroys only the tumor, so there’s less risk of side effects including impotence and incontinence, and no risk of sterility.
- Men may be able to go on to have children. That is a great gift for younger men and those wanting to start a family later in life, or a second family.
While no treatment is 100% guaranteed not to affect fertility, with CyberKnife, the odds are in your favor.
CyberKnife Treatment for Prostate Cancer in South Florida
CyberKnife Miami opened its doors nearly 25 years ago. We were the first CyberKnife center to open in the Southeast. And we’re here to help you, especially if you want to discuss fertility and prostate cancer treatment.
“CyberKnife is the most effective, safest and quickest way to treat prostate cancer so you can put it behind you and get on with your life,” Dr. Pomper advises.
If you are interested in learning more about CyberKnife Miami call us at 305-279-2900 or right now you can go to our website.