Is sex life stopping when diagnosed with prostate cancer? How to keep the potency?
Are there any opportunities to maintain an important function for men in the treatment of prostate cancer, says a doctor oncologist specializing in prostate cancer, the founder of the oncological clinic Dokratas - associate professor, MD.Timo Joensuu.
According to one North European study, 8 men out of 10 treated with cancer have problems in sexual life( more than 7,000 men participated in the study).87% of respondents had problems with erection, 63% of respondents complained of another discomfort.
One of the leading specialists in the treatment of prostate cancer, Timo Joensuu *, chief doctor of the oncology clinic Dokratess, says that in the treatment of prostate cancer there are two treatment lines: surgical treatment or radiotherapy. Without active control of PSA levels, cancer usually spreads beyond the capsule of the prostate gland, in which case surgical removal of the prostate does not guarantee that there will not be a relapse of the disease.
The choice of method of treatment depends on the nature and stage of the disease. The patient needs a meaningful consultation with the attending physician about possible forms of treatment. With radiation therapy, a man always has more chances of maintaining an erection( including HDR-brachytherapy) than with surgical treatment, "says Dr. Joensuu.
Patients are satisfied with the results of radiation therapy
The main problem in surgical treatment of prostate cancer is associated with the anatomical features of the prostate itself: as a rule, cancer occurs on the border of the capsule of the prostate gland, on the surface of which there are nerve endings responsible for erection. Most of the cancer has time to germinate through these nerves and capsule, and with surgery, these nerves are very easy to damage - which means impotence for a man.
"Radiation therapy can eliminate more cancer cells than surgical treatment, as well as cells located outside the capsule of the prostate gland. After radiation therapy, the erection may gradually worsen, but with the passage of years, rather than dramatically, as it happens after surgical treatment. Do not forget that prostate cancer is a disease of men of age, in whom naturally the potency decreases, "explains Timo Joensuu.
All methods of diagnosis and treatment in the application of
The Doctrates Cancer Clinic is one of the few medical institutions that uses the latest methods of cancer diagnosis, for example, multiparameter MRI and PET-CT studies with special radioisotopes. Such diagnostics are necessary for specialists to accurately understand the aggressiveness of cancer and the degree of spread.
In order to treat cancer correctly we need to know in which part of the organ it is located. In the use of our specialists there are the most modern diagnostic methods, which allow obtaining accurate information about cancer. So, if necessary, to check the skeleton for the presence of metastases in prostate cancer, we use a PET-CT scan with a special isotope;if necessary, to check the patient at low PSA levels we use PET-CT with PSMA marker, in certain cases we perform PET-CT with Holin. After the diagnostic phase is completed, the attending physician talks with the patient and his family about possible treatment options, their pros and cons, risks and results, "says Dr. Joensuu.
Our clinic presents all possible modern types of : external radiation therapy, high-dose interstitial HDR-brachytherapy, robotic surgery, drug treatment with newer drugs, radionuclide treatment. Therefore, our specialists have the opportunity individually for the patient to choose the best course of treatment.
"We always consider the possibility of radiotherapy, because in our practice this form of treatment of prostate cancer is highly effective and at the same time preserves the patient's quality of life. The question is not whether to perform an operation or radiotherapy, but how to optimize radiotherapy in such a way as not to harm the patient and irradiate all the necessary areas. In case the patient chooses radiation therapy, we recommend the use of drugs that support an erection for the duration of treatment, even if the man does not have erectile dysfunction. This is one of the options for preventing the occurrence of problems with urination, "says Dr. Joensuu.
In addition to the main treatment in our clinic there are specialists who provide all the necessary assistance and support to the patient during the treatment: urotherapist, sexologist, psychotherapist, nutritional specialist of oncological patients, etc.
* Timo Joensuu is a Finnish oncologist, specialist in radiotherapy,oncology. In 2006, on behalf of the Association for the Fight against Cancer, was awarded for his services in the fight against cancer. In 2010, according to Meduutiset, "The Most Influential Medical Specialist of the Year in Healthcare."
Source: .