photo taken from disaboom.com

A man diagnosed with prostate cancer has many options for treatment such as – radiotherapy, surgical prostatectomy, hormonal therapy, palliative care and “no active treatment”. Though this might be the case, it is often forgotten that the diagnosis and treatment of this condition can have a huge psychological impact not only on the man himself but also to his partner.

Nowadays, a lot of male individuals are diagnosed with prostate cancer before they have even developed any symptoms of the disease because they have undergone a “screening” test long before any symptoms or signs of the condition have manifested themselves. When cancer is identified in this asymptotic stage, it requires a physical examination, a blood test or a biopsy. Though it is still in the “curable” stage, it is still associated with anxiety that can threaten a man’s very self confidence and sense of masculinity.

There are two major side effects of prostate cancer therapy; erectile dysfunction and incontinence of urine.

~Erectile dysfunction – This is the one of the most common side effects of prostate cancer treatment since about 70% of men after therapy experience this. Whichever a man undergoes, whether radiotherapy or surgery (radical prostatectomy), the nerves associated with erection can be damaged – either completely or partially, and the effects can be permanent or temporary. It is comforting to know that majority of the men who had good erectile function prior to undergoing surgery, erectile dysfunction resolves with time and is amenable to treatment with PDE5 inhibitor medications such as Viagra, Cialis or Levitra.

~Incontinence of Urine – Though this is may be a possibility, it rarely occurs. If the surgeon performing this operation already has a great experience in doing such procedures, then the less likely an incontinence will take place. Yet, in removing the cancerous gland completely there is always a possibility that the valve or sphincter which controls the outlet from the bladder can get damaged. The figures may differ from hospital to hospital and surgeon to surgeon but it has been estimated that 1 – 5% of men undergoing radical prostatectomy will experience some degree of urinary incontinence after surgery.

You might think that these are the only side effects, but sad to say these are not the only ones. There is still something else of importance that must be considered. When a certain individual is diagnosed of prostate cancer, it does not have an impact only on the man but also with his partner. How is this so? The sufferer’s partner will have to deal with the fact that a malignant disease has befall her partner and it is a must that she provide her partner with emotional and financial support perhaps throughout therapy. This indeed requires a lot of patience and emotional strength.

Studies reveal that partners are more distressed during diagnosis, and less so six months later while the patient’s anxiety and depression, though less than their partner’s initially, increased with time. It is only natural in men to be reserved when it comes to their emotions, so it is important that a man’s partner must take part in discussions with the treating physicians and surgeons in order to be able to provide the support required as he undergoes therapy and learns to live with the disease. It is essential that the patient and his partner must participate in support groups and counseling in order for them to complement to the medical treatment of the cancer.

The bottom line of all this is that, men’s prostate health is indeed one of the most important concerns for men so each male individual must have a yearly check up of their prostate health after a certain age. Men’s prostate health should never be taken for granted. Prostate cancer is one of the most common non-skin malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in males all over the world. Due to this fact, men’s prostate health must be taken care of and must be given attention before it’s too late.

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