What Are The Side Effects Of Prostate Cancer Treatment?

The cases of Prostate Cancer are seeing a steep rise among men all over the world. Prostate cancer impacts the prostate gland, a small walnut-shaped organ located right below the urinary bladder in men. The primary function of our prostate gland is to produce fluids that nourish and transport sperm in men. Most prostate cancers are limited to the gland and don’t spread. However, if cancer treatment is not done early, it can lead to severe complications and prove fatal. The rising cases of prostate cancer have sent people looking out for questions such as ‘what is prostate cancer’, and ‘what are the best treatment methods, among others. 

Early detection and timely intervention is the best prostate cancer treatment. To detect the condition early, one must be mindful of its symptoms. Here are some of the symptoms of Prostate cancer.

Prostate Cancer Symptoms

• Blood in urine
• Trouble Urinating
• Bone Pain
• Sudden weight loss
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Decreased force in urination
  

Causes of Prostate Cancer

The causes of prostate cancer are unclear but the condition primarily shapes up due to cells in the prostate gland changing their DNA. The change in DNA makes the cells multiply at an abnormal rate causing an imbalance in the functioning of the organ. These cells accumulate at a rapid rate while other cells die. These accumulating cells compound to form a tumour and can impact the functioning of nearby tissue. Prostate Cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer and can impact the following demographics.

• Men aged 50+ – The risk of prostate cancer increases with age. Men, especially those above 50 have the highest risk of this condition. It is highly recommended to visit your nearest super speciality hospital if you show any symptoms.
• Race- For reasons unknown, black people are more susceptible to this kind of cancer. They are also known to have a more advanced stage of prostate cancer than others. resulting in a higher fatality rate in the black population.
• Obesity- Our body fat percentage and lifestyle habits have a lot to do with the risk of having prostate cancer. In obese people, the chances of cancer relapsing after initial treatment is also quite high.

Side Effects Of Prostate Cancer Treatment

Depending on the stage of prostate cancer, treatment methods such as surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy may be prescribed by doctors. The following are some of the side effects of prostate cancer treatment.

Radiation– The prostate gland is tightly packed between other organs. This is why, radiation treatment can cause some problems in sexual, urinary, and bowel functions. Frequent need to urinate and diarrhoea can also be side effects of prostate cancer treatment. However, most of these complications are mostly short term and there is less than a 5% chance of long-term problems. 

Chemotherapy- In some advanced stages, doctors prescribe the usage of chemicals for treatment. Chemotherapy is usually followed by short-term side effects like pain, fatigue, and energy loss. Mild fever with a decrease in white blood cells is another side effect but these are observed in only rare cases.

Surgery – Prostatectomy or prostate gland surgery can cause some amount of urinary incontinence or leakage. This will improve over time with strengthening exercises. Erectile Dysfunction is another common side effect of surgery and about 40% of men see a loss in erectile functions. This is also a short-term complication and the condition gets better with time.