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Diagnosis, Prostate Cancer
What to expect and where to turn for help.
By D Partner Studio|
In Texas alone, it is estimated that more than 177,000 people will be diagnosed with some form of cancer, and 14,200 of those diagnoses will be prostate cancer. When caught in its earliest stages, prostate cancer is often treatable. However, it is expected that more than 2,100 Texas men will die from prostate cancer in 2021. 1, 2
The Risk
To increase your chance of surviving prostate cancer, catch it as early as possible by reporting any suspicious symptoms to your doctor as soon as possible. Common risk factors include difficulty starting urination, weak or interrupted flow of urine, frequent urination (especially at night), difficulty emptying the bladder completely, pain or burning during urination, and blood in the urine or semen. Also, discuss your risk factors with your doctor. In the U.S., one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. 1, 2 In African American men, that number drops to one in seven. 3 However, African American men are twice as likely to die of the disease. 3 For most men, advanced age and a family history of prostate cancer are the highest risk factors. In the U.S., being a military veteran is also considered a risk for prostate cancer. 1, 2
More than 2,100 Texas men will die from prostate cancer in 2021.
The Treatment
Treatment options for prostate cancer vary greatly based on the stage at diagnosis. Surgery (often a radical prostatectomy), radiation, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy are changing and improving every day. Advances are also being made in the early detection of prostate cancer metastasis, as well as in areas like active surveillance of prostate cancer. All treatment options, including clinical trials, are best made after thorough discussions with a prostate cancer treatment team.
Side Effects
Each year, more than 70,000 men with prostate cancer undergo a prostatectomy in the U.S. 4 The two most feared side effects of a radical prostatectomy, which is the most common treatment for prostate cancer, are loss of erection and urinary incontinence. 7 The nerves or muscles that control an erection and urine flow lie very close to the prostate and may be damaged during prostate cancer treatment. Some men may regain their existing erectile function after a prostatectomy, while some may not. The journey is different for each patient.
Courtesy of Boston Scientific
Men often leak urine immediately following surgery, but the leakage usually tapers off within several weeks or months. While every situation is different, approximately 9-16% of men have persistent post-prostatectomy incontinence 1 year after treatment5. Recovery can be impacted by factors such as age, general physical health, and the degree of full bladder control before surgery. When incontinence persists beyond six, consider consulting your doctor. 5 Radical prostatectomies and radiation (external beam or brachytherapy) can damage the urinary sphincter and cause stress urinary incontinence. As a result, symptoms may range from light leakage to a complete inability to control the flow of urine. Nearly 1 in 10 men still suffer from daily bladder leakage more than a year after surgery. 5
To treat the side effect of stress urinary incontinence, there are short-term and long-term options. Short-term treatment options include behavioral modifications, such as reduced fluid intake and planned restroom breaks; intervention, such as pelvic floor physical therapy, Kegel exercises, and Biofeedback; and coping, which includes pads, diapers, catheters, and penile clamps. Long-term treatment options include a male sling system and an artificial urinary sphincter, which is considered the gold standard treatment option.8-10
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If the cancer is detected early and the cancer is treated using nerve sparing techniques, sexual activity may return to normal after surgery. This can take three to six months with continued improvement for two to three years. 6 Erectile dysfunction as a result of prostate cancer surgery, robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) 10-46% of men one year after surgery had ED. 5 Should ED persist as a prostatectomy side effect, there are treatment options you can discuss with your doctor, including oral medications, vacuum erection devices, penile injections, intraurethral suppositories, and penile implants. For those experiencing long-term urinary incontinence or erectile dysfunction, it’s important to remember that these are effective solutions available that can restore intimacy, confidence, and quality of life.
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Support
ZERO, is an organization formed to stand up for men and their families impacted by prostate cancer and become a political force for a cure. ZERO is proud to offer a variety of patient and caregiver support options, including ZERO360. This is a comprehensive patient support program that aligns patients with trained case managers who can help navigate insurance, financial needs, and provide emotional support resources. ZERO’s MENtor and Caregiver Mentor programs provide peer-to-peer support opportunities for those individuals who prefer to get support from someone who has gone through similar experiences. In fall 2021, ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer and Us TOO International will merge into one organization, ZERO Prostate Cancer. With this exciting merger, more than 200 support groups will be available to prostate cancer patients throughout the country.
To learn more about ZERO as well as the latest news and information about prostate cancer, side effects, treatments, and support visit www.zerocancer.org, www.edcure.org, and www.fixincontinence.com.
Rx Only. The people featured in these videos were compensated for their travel and/or time.
www.edcure.org and www.fixincontinence.com are websites sponsored by Boston Scientific.
AMS 800™ Artificial Urinary Sphincter
Prior to use, please review the Instructions for Use for a complete listing of indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions and potential adverse events.
Indications for Use: The AMS 800™ Artificial Urinary Sphincter is used to treat urinary incontinence due to reduced outlet resistance (intrinsic sphincter deficiency) following prostate surgery.
Contraindications: Patients whom the physician determines to be poor surgical candidates, urinary incontinence due to or complicated by an irreversibly obstructed lower urinary tract, have irresolvable detrusor hyperreflexia or bladder instability, or for the AMS 800 with InhibiZone™ Antibiotic Surface Treatment, patients who have a known sensitivity or allergy to rifampin, minocycline or other tetracyclines, or patients with lupus erythematosus because minocycline has been reported to aggravate this condition.
Warnings: Patients with urinary tract infections, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, open sores or regional skin infections may have increased risk of infection associated with a prosthesis. Erosion may be caused by infection, pressure on the tissue, improper cuff sizing, improper balloon selection, tissue damage, and component misplacement. Patients with urge incontinence, overflow incontinence, detrusor hyperreflexia or bladder instability should have these conditions treated and controlled (or resolved) prior to implantation of the device. Surgical, physical, psychological, or mechanical complications, if they occur, may necessitate revision or removal of the prosthesis.
Potential Adverse Events: May include device malfunction/failure leading to additional surgery, device/tissue erosion through urethra/bladder/scrotum, urinary retention, infection, and pain/soreness. MH-545609-AB
MH-1134606-AA NOV 2021
1 American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2021. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2021.
2 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program Populations (1969-2019) (www.seer.cancer.gov/popdata), National Cancer Institute, DCCPS, Surveillance Research Program, released February 2021.
3 American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures for African Americans 2019-2021. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2019.
4 Citation: Data on file with Boston Scientific. Based on estimated procedural volume
5 Ficarra V, Novara G, Rosen RC, et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting urinary continence recovery after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Eur Urol. 2012 Sep;62(3):405-17.
6 Catalona WJ. Sexual Potency after a Radical Prostatectomy. Urological Research Foundation. http://www.drcatalona.com/qa/faq_rp-potency.asp. Accessed May 2015.
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