Figuring out what life after prostate cancer looks like can be different for each survivor and take time to process. Treatments for the disease can take a toll on both the mind and the body. And recovery often depends on the treatment option a man chooses, his age and his overall health.
Keep in mind, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, leading a healthier lifestyle after localized prostate cancer is linked to a 30% decrease in risk of dying from any cause, including recurrence. Plus, following specific diet and lifestyle guidelines can reduce the chance of disease returning.
These recommendations include:
- 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week.
- Quitting or cutting back on smoking.
- Maintaining a healthy weight.
- Avoiding charred meats or nitrate-containing meats.
- Eating more vegetables, whole or unprocessed foods and getting protein from plant-based sources like nuts or beans.
Life After Prostate Cancer: Surgery
For those who opt for surgery to remove the prostate, urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, infertility and fatigue could linger for a period of time after treatment.
For instance, according to Medical News Today, bladder function generally returns to normal after several weeks or months.
Some research suggests 79-to-88% of prostate cancer patients who undergo radical prostatectomy suffer from erectile dysfunction after treatment.
And since a radical prostatectomy removes the prostate entirely, it causes a man to stop producing semen, leading to what’s called a dry orgasm or orgasm without ejaculation.
Life After Prostate Cancer: Radiation
Patients who choose standard radiation may experience different urinary symptoms than those linked to prostate cancer surgery, according to the American Urological Association.
“It’s more like a urinary tract infection-increased urgency and frequency, and men may some have bleeding or pain when they urinate,” Anne Calvaresi, DNP, CRNP, RNFA, Urology Nurse Practitioner at the Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, says.
These problems typically go away after treatment. Radiation can also cause bowel changes like loose stools or constipation, which can be treated with over-the-counter medications, and will subside.
Standard radiation is also associated with erectile dysfunction, which effects between 67-72% of patients who undergo radiation. The effects may not be immediate, according to Calvaresi, “It may slowly set in after many years of radiation.”
But there are treatments for radiation-related ED, which are like those for ED caused by surgery and can include medication, penile pumps, injections to boost blood flow, and even implants when other treatments fail.
The Difference of Life After Prostate Cancer With CyberKnife
However, long-term side effects of radiation can differ greatly depending on the type of radiation a patient chooses.
Patients choosing CyberKnife radiation therapy are much less likely to suffer ED or urinary incontinence.
That’s because CyberKnife is a highly targeted form of radiation known as stereotactic body radiation therapy or SBRT. Because of CyberKnife’s precision, targeting only the tumor site, leaving surrounding tissues and vital organs unharmed, there are minimal side effects, which may include tiredness, and urinary and rectal irritation.
Medication can help minimize these, and they usually resolve in a few weeks.
There is also a lower risk of toxicity than with traditional radiation.
And since CyberKnife focuses directly on the tumor, there is less risk of burning the anus or testicles. There is also a reduced risk of impotence and urinary incontinence. And sexual function remains the same for most patients after treatment.
“CyberKnife has few side effects. Its pinpoint radiation beams hit only the tumor, dissolving it, so we can give a much higher dose with a lot fewer treatments, leaving healthy surrounding tissue unharmed. There’s over 20 years of published studies support,” said Dr. Mark Pomper, board-certified radiation oncologist and medical director of CyberKnife Miami.
Plus, with CyberKnife, treatment times are faster. They can be completed in four to five sessions, unlike traditional radiation, which takes 30-40 treatments spanning as much as three months. Plus, CyberKnife’s missile guided technology literally moves with the patient to make sure the tumor is the only thing that gets hit with radiation beams.
Prostate Cancer Treatment Near Me: CyberKnife Miami
At CyberKnife Miami, we’ve treated hundreds of patients and have seen cure rates for prostate cancer of 95% when detected early for more than two decades. And worldwide, hundreds of thousands more have been treated using the CyberKnife technology.
If you would like to find out more about prostate cancer treatment with CyberKnife or if you would like a consultation call us at 305-279-2900 or go to our prostate cancer website now for more information.