Groin Pain and Prostate Cancer Surgery 

It’s important that men today learn as much as they can about prostate cancer, surgery and cure for this condition. Prostate health is not talked about as much as it should be due to the sensitive nature of the topic but it’s a very important topic that all men need to know about.

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you may be faced with the decision of whether or not to have surgery. This can be a very difficult decision to make, especially when your cancer is caught early and there are still other options besides surgery that might work.

Recent studies show that prostate cancer surgery on men before the age of 65 clearly saves people. It has been known to cut the eventual death rate by more than half which is great odds in your favor if you are considering surgery for your prostate cancer.

However, for men over 65, the results from prostate surgery are less certain. Many prostate cancer patients fall into the over 65 category and it’s difficult to tell if they will be affected in the same way by the surgery.

Prostate cancer often develops so slowly that in someone over the age of 65, there may be no point in surgery to remove it, especially if the person has other healthy problems and risks. To determine this, the doctor will need to know your entire medical history and also factor in how quickly your case of prostate cancer is growing.

Types of prostate surgery

When considering prostate surgery, what do you need to know? Radical prostatectomy is a procedure in which the entire prostate gland is removed along with the nearby lymph nodes. This is done in prostate cancer cases and under the treatment of general anesthesia. When the prostate gland is taken out, a catheter is put in until the area heals.

There are some short term risks for this type of surgery but they are very low for otherwise healthy men. You will usually need to stay in the hospital for 2 or 3 days and the catheter may need to stay for 2 or 3 weeks. After a month, you can typically return to work and other normal activities you enjoyed before the surgery.

Bladder control usually returns in the weeks after the surgery and there is a mild amount of pain associated with this prostate surgery. If all the cancer was removed during your surgery, you will be cured so this type of prostate cancer surgery comes with a great deal of certainty in most cases that it will treat the cancer.

Impotence or loss of sexual function

With obvious reason, many men worry about impotence or loss of sexual function with this surgery. How well you recover will depend on different things such as your health before the surgery, genetics and your age.

Incontinence and impotence are sometimes risks that come from prostate cancer surgery. The numbers of men that suffer from this are low. If the nerves are cut during the surgery, impotence can occur but this is also rare. The nerves can typically be salvaged unless the tumor is not too large.

If you are under the age of 50 when you have prostate cancer surgery, you can typically expect to recover without any long term loss of sexual function. If you are over the age of 70, it is expected there will be some loss of sexual function, although this is not always the case.

Prostate cancer cure

There is no real “cure” for prostate cancer, other than just removing the cancer through surgery. However, due to advances in treatment and detection, the survival rate of people with prostate cancer is increasing. The best cure however, is prevention. The more you learn about prostate health and procedures to scan for early signs of prostate problems, the better your chances of preventing prostate cancer in the first place.

Men need to understand the importance of taking their prostate health seriously. Get regular exams and have your prostate checked, especially if you are over the age of 50. See your doctor if you show any signs or symptoms that you may have a problem with your prostate. Early detection may be key to avoiding prostate cancer surgery.

For additional information, click on prostate cancer as a cause of groin pain, prostate cancer and groin pain and avoiding groin pain through prostate cancer prevention.