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Prostate Cancer - Surgery
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS
- Topic Overview
-
Health Tools
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When To Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Home Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Other Treatment
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
Surgery is one of two main treatments for
early-stage
prostate cancer. Radiation is the other. Surgery may
be done to remove the prostate and its cancer. It may done to remove and test
lymph nodes 
in the area to see whether the cancer has spread (pelvic lymphadenectomy). It also may be
done to fix urinary problems that are caused by a tumor pressing on the
urethra (transurethral resection of the prostate, or TURP).
The stage of your prostate cancer along with your age and general health will affect the type of surgery you choose.
Surgery Choices
Radical prostatectomy is an operation to remove the entire prostate and any nearby tissue that may contain cancer. It can be done as open surgery through an incision (cut) in the belly, or as laparoscopic surgery through several very small incisions in the belly. Laparoscopic surgery is done with a tiny camera and special instruments to remove the prostate. Sometimes lymph nodes in the area also are removed so that they can be checked for signs of cancer. This is called a lymph node biopsy
Nerve-sparing surgery helps preserve the nerves that are along the side of the prostate and that are needed for an erection. This is only done when there is little chance of leaving cancer cells behind. If you already have sexual function issues, nerve-sparing surgery may not be the best choice for you.
Laparoscopic surgery may be done by hand, but some doctors now do this surgery by guiding robotic arms that hold the surgery tools. This is called robot-assisted prostatectomy.
What to Think About
Removing the prostate can cause erection problems and bladder problems. But for many men, these problems get better over time. If you and your doctor decide that you need surgery, be sure to choose a highly skilled surgeon at a hospital that has a good success rate. Studies show that men have fewer side effects from prostate surgery when they have a skilled and experienced surgeon.8
Surgery may completely remove your prostate cancer. But it is not possible to know for sure before surgery whether the cancer has spread beyond the prostate. When cancer has spread, it cannot always be cured with surgery alone.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: February 23, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine J. Curtis Nickel, MD, FRCSC - Urology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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