Radiation or surgery and life after treatments

Hi @Ronald‍ Sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis.

Tough decision. If you do not mind me asking what stage are you? I asumming it is localized and has not spread right?

There are pros and cons to both. I am not to sure on the succeess of eith vs the other in current day... so you should ask your doctor about that and do your own research, but...

For me, I opted with surgery because I enjoyed the mind-set of knowing that it was going to be removed. To me radiation therapy left to much what ifs and I was younger than you at the time, so I did not want to be exposed to more radation than neccessary and radiation tends to expose one to other life issues in the future.

But lets assume the success rate is roughly same, because the success is the most important... you want it treated with the highest success.

Radiation therapy you have to consider that it is likely to have more side effects related to you bowel control; while, surgery you may have issues with sexual functions, like erections. No matter how areful the surgeon is, it is likely that too some extent your sexual function will be limited or affected. Also assuming you are not wanting any kids, is important... because I am pretty sure - even modern day - your ability to have kids is affected after prostate removal.

Remember, there are things that can help you sustain an erection after surgery. Discuss it with your doctor though because from what I Was told, judging on your sexual ability before surgery will play a role in your sexual ability after.

Ronald, I am 76 I had the choice of radiation 30 days or heavy radiation 5 days every other day. I took the 5 day. It is a year and 1/2 now, I still have some bleeding, wear Depends etc and my bowels don't completely empty until I go approx 3 times in the morning. I still can get about 3/4 hard erection wise but do not ejactulate. You can have a dry organism but it is a little bit painful. I did 40 days of hydrobaric medicine(in the tube) but could not find any great change

@Ronald I am 66 and had NO symptoms other than PSA increasing in the past yr. After more PSA tests, I saw urologist and he did a "free PSA in the blood test". Mine was only half what it needed to be. Had biopsy, it confirmed low grade cancer. Options suggested by urologist was radiation or surgery. Chose the robotic surgery and had surgery 6 weeks ago. Not as easy as those younger than me said it would be. Had lots of fluid on my belly and that finally drained off and I started eating and that gave me gas and was a miserable as the fluids. If you have the radiation, you can't go back and have the surgery. If you have the surgery and it has metastasized to the lymph nodes you can still have the radiation. My urologist said, "if you are the worrying kind and have radiation and will always worry and wonder-has it come back, when is is coming back, you'd be better off having the surgery and being done with it." Also get an up to date book on prostate cancer so you'll know what the Dr. is talking about, etc. Best of luck. I'm just wearing a liner in my underwear and starting to get weak erections back. 

But it can come back with the surgery too I understand 

@normsie ....yes...it could... but you still have the option of radiation treatment after surgery........but ...surgery after radiation treatment is extremely difficult and not recommended 

I am aware of that, but think too many sides after surgery

@normsie ...I believe there are a few more long term side effects from the radiation as compared to surgery... also... there is an outside chance of developing colon cancer or colon rectal problems from the radiation treatments... I do believe 🤔

Oy. I have decided on radiation and now I am worried. Do you guys have online or conference call support? 

Is there less chance of that with surgery amd dont you need catheter for a while? And what other side effects? Have you done surgery?