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Prostate cancer is the most common among males. According to a study, more than 1,30,000 new cases appear worldwide. It is also the third in mortality, behind lung and colorectal cancer, with some 5,841 deaths, in 2018. The positive thing is that the survival rate is high: it is estimated to be 90%. That is why prevention and early diagnosis is very important, says the urologist in Noida.
But there is an essential issue that usually occurs when a man suffers from this type of cancer that is usually irrelevant to many oncologists, not for those who suffer from it: erectile dysfunction.
WHAT IS PROSTATE CANCER?
The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system, located under the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is the size of a walnut and surrounds a part of the urethra (the tube that conducts urine to the outside from the bladder). It is in charge of semen production.
Prostate cancer originates when the cells in this organ begin to grow out of control. Although there are different types of prostate cancers, the most common is adenocarcinoma. It occurs mainly in older males: 90% of cases appear in people over 65 years of age. Prostate cancer should not be confused with benign prostate hyperplasia, which is a noncancerous enlargement of prostate hyperplasia, and occurs as men age, when the prostate can enlarge and block the urethra or bladder, which can lead to difficulty urinating or interfering with sexual function, explains the sexologist in Noida.
While the causes of prostate cancer are unknown, there are risk factors such as advanced age, genetics, family history, obesity, tobacco, and high testosterone levels that could increase the risk.
At first, prostate cancer has no obvious symptoms, but in more advanced stages some such as the frequent need to urinate (feeling not emptying the bladder well), involuntary loss of urine, pain and stinging when urinating, difficulty starting to urinate, and urinary retention if the urethra becomes clogged by the tumor, states the best urologist in Noida.
HOW CAN IT AFFECT MY SEX LIFE?
Once prostate cancer is diagnosed through a rectal touch, a PSA (PSA) test — a protein that is produced in the prostate and increases in various diseases — and a biopsy of prostate tissues, your oncologist will recommend the treatments to follow.
What you need to know is that prostate cancer treatment in Delhi, such as surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone-decreasing medications) can cause side effects on your sexual function. Although these are not necessarily the only culprits: anxiety and depression can also contribute negatively.
The most common (and most feared) sexual problem in prostate cancer patients is erectile dysfunction, which is the inability to get or maintain an erection to maintain a satisfactory sexual relationship, but there are others such as difficulty ejaculating, retrograde ejaculation (ejaculating "inward") or urinary incontinence during intercourse, explains the best sexologist in Noida.
In the case of surgery, if the nerves near this gland, which control blood flow to the penis, were damaged when the prostate is removed (radical prostatectomy), erectile dysfunction may occur. Currently, laparoscopic surgery and robotics have reduced this problem, although it is estimated that there is a possibility of more than 60% postoperative erectile dysfunction.
If you have radiation therapy, you may also have erection problems. The higher the radiation dose and the wider the irradiated area, the greater your chances of suffering them. Radiation damages the arteries that supply blood to the penis.
For chemotherapy, chances are you'll retain your normal erection capacity. However, you may experience problems after receiving a session, although you'll recover right away. Chemotherapy can sometimes affect sexual desire and erection ability by slowing down testosterone production, explains the sexologist in Ghaziabad.
CAN ERECTILE FUNCTION BE RECOVERED?
It will depend on several factors such as the type of treatment, the patient's age and erectile function before cancer. Generally, recovery time is around 18 to 24 months.
The main treatment to recover erections aims to improve blood flow to the penis. But psychological therapy can also help. Anxiety and stress can be the most harmful elements when it comes to an erection, says the sexologist in Greater Noida.
Treatments include:
Medications: They are usually effective in most men. They are drugs that improve blood flow to the penis. However, they are not effective if the prostate nerves were not preserved after surgery.
Injection into the penis: It is a very effective treatment that works within a few minutes of administration. It can cause pain in the penis and a prolonged erection.
Vacuum device: It is effective in 66-71% of patients, but can cause numbness or bruising. It is a plastic tube that is placed on the penis, a manual pump, and a band that is placed around the base of the penis once it is erect (constriction ring).
Penile prostheses: Its introduction requires surgery and consists of 2 cylinders that are introduced into the cavernous bodies of the penis and by placing a device inside the scrotum (between the testicles), the patient may cause the erection at his discretion.
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