| Improvements in treatment over the years have | | | | bowel movements. All of these side effects are |
| significantly reduced the severity of side effects of | | | | more common following external beam radiotherapy. |
| prostate cancer treatments. It is still important to | | | | During prostatectomy, damage to the rectum is |
| understand how and why these side effects occur, | | | | unusually rare, and the bowel changes noticed in the |
| and to how to minimize how they will affect daily life. | | | | first few weeks following surgery are likely the result |
| There are six major categories of side effects that | | | | of the body adjusting to the increased abdominal |
| are normally associated with prostate cancer | | | | space due to the loss of the prostate. Radiation |
| treatments: urinary dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, | | | | therapy can cause significant damage to the rectum, |
| erectile dysfunction, loss of fertility, effects due to | | | | resulting in some or all of the symptoms listed above. |
| the loss of testosterone, and side effects of | | | | Erectile Dysfunction is experienced by nearly all men |
| chemotherapy. Depending on the treatment strategy | | | | for the first few months after treatment. The |
| pursued some or all of these side effects might be | | | | reason for this is simple: the nerves and blood vessels |
| present. It's also important to realize that not all | | | | that control the physical aspect of an erection are |
| these symptoms are normal, and that some require | | | | incredibly delicate, and any trauma to the area will |
| immediate care. | | | | unfortunately result in changes to the natural order. |
| Urinary Dysfunction encompasses both urinary | | | | Fertility is always a problem after prostate cancer |
| incontinence, which can range from some leaking to | | | | treatment. It is nearly impossible for a man to retain |
| complete loss of bladder control, and irritative voiding | | | | his ability to father children through sexual intercourse |
| symptoms, including increased urinary frequency, | | | | after the initial treatment. The loss of semen |
| increased urinary urgency, and pain upon urination. For | | | | following surgery makes ejaculation impossible, so the |
| men undergoing prostatectomy, incontinence is the | | | | sperm cannot physically leave the body to reach the |
| main urinary side effect. Bowel Dysfunction includes | | | | woman's egg for fertilization. |
| diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and the inability to control | | | | |