Possible prostate cancer complications

Preventing prostate cancer is very important to do early. The reason is, in addition to causing disturbing prostate cancer symptoms, this disease can also cause various complications that are dangerous to health. Complications can arise from conditions caused by prostate cancer or are a side effect of your prostate cancer treatment. So, what are the possible complications due to prostate cancer?

Various prostate cancer complications that may occur

Prostate cancer occurs when abnormal cells (cancer cells) grow in the prostate gland. This disease can still be cured if the cancer cells are found early and are still at an early stage of prostate cancer.

However, the chances of being cured of prostate cancer will decrease along with the development of cancer cells. Not only that, the possibility of complications will be even greater if the prostate cancer you are suffering from gets worse.

Here are some of the bad effects or complications that may occur if you have prostate cancer:

1. Metastasis

Like cancer cells in general, cancer cells in the prostate can spread to surrounding tissues and even to other organs. The spread of prostate cancer to other organs is also known as metastasis.

Prostate cancer metastases can be experienced by patients who are already in the final stage, namely stage 4. It can spread to lymph nodes, bones, or other organs. If prostate cancer has spread to the bones, you can feel pain or even become prone to fractures, making it more dangerous for your body.

Even at this stage, prostate cancer is impossible to cure. The prostate cancer treatment that is being undertaken only helps prolong life expectancy.

2. Urinary incontinence

Both prostate cancer and treatment can cause urinary incontinence in sufferers. Urinary incontinence is the loss of the ability to control urination. Reporting from the American Cancer Society, complications of prostate cancer are characterized by several things, such as:

• Accidental leak of urine.
• Not able to hold back urination.
• Urinating frequently.
• Pain or discomfort when urinating.

Urinary incontinence generally occurs in patients who have undergone surgery for prostate cancer or radical prostatectomy. Cleveland Clinic says, about 6-8 percent of patients who undergo prostatectomy will experience the effects of this prostate cancer. This can happen because surgery can damage the nerves and muscles that help control when you want to urinate.

Apart from surgery, radiotherapy for prostate cancer sometimes causes urinary incontinence side effects. However, this is very rare. Chances are only one in 100 prostate cancer radiotherapy patients will feel the impact.

However, urinary incontinence due to prostate cancer is temporary and can still be cured. Treatment for urinary incontinence that is commonly done, namely pelvic muscle exercises, bladder training (bladder training), medications, or surgery. Consult with your doctor for the right type of treatment.

3. Erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is the most common complication of prostate cancer. This condition is reported to occur in 10-90 percent of patients after undergoing radical prostatectomy surgery.

Apart from surgery, erectile dysfunction can also occur in patients undergoing other types of treatment, such as radiotherapy or hormone therapy. This can happen because prostate cancer treatment can damage the nerves and blood vessels needed for men to have an erection.

Erectile dysfunction due to prostate cancer is generally characterized by reduced sex drive (because it affects libido and decreased testosterone), lack of ability to achieve strong erections, difficulty achieving orgasm or climax during intercourse, or reduced ejaculation.

This condition can certainly cause sexual problems between you and your partner. Therefore, you should consult a doctor to solve these problems, if you experience them.

There are several ways to overcome the effects of erectile dysfunction due to prostate cancer, namely:

• Medications, such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra), or avanafil (Spedra).
• A vacuum device that can help achieve an erection.
• Operation.
• Testosterone replacement therapy.
• Maintain a healthy body weight and stop smoking.
• Do pelvic exercises.

In addition to medical treatment, you also need to discuss the changes that will occur in your sex life with your partner. You and your partner can try other variations of sex, such as oral sex or just cuddling in bed, kissing, or other means. In essence, look for sexual activities that keep you and your partner both comfortable and happy.

4. Infertility

Infertility or impaired fertility is also a complication of prostate cancer that may occur. This condition is usually caused by prostate cancer treatment, namely surgical removal of the prostate gland, radiotherapy, or hormone therapy.

A man who has a surgical removal of the prostate gland means that it is no longer able to produce semen when ejaculating. Thus, the chances of a man being infertile or infertile after prostate cancer surgery are very large. This too cannot be avoided and will be permanent.

Radiotherapy and hormone therapy can also cause less or no semen to produce semen. This means that these various types of medication make it difficult for you to have children through natural sexual intercourse.

Even though this infertility is permanent, you can still have children with various medical procedures, such as:

• Sperm freezing (cryopreservation)

This procedure can be done at a sperm bank. You will be asked to remove the sperm before the operation and freeze it until you need it,

• Extraction of sperm

Even though he is infertile due to prostate cancer, a man may still have sperm in his testicles. In this method, the surgeon will take the sperm in the testes to be frozen or used directly through the IVF procedure. This can be done before or after prostate cancer surgery.

How to prevent prostate cancer complications?

Some complications of prostate cancer can be difficult to avoid. However, some other prostate cancer effects may still be prevented thereby reducing the harm to your health in the future.

Here are tips you can do to prevent prostate cancer complications:

• Routine control to the doctor.
• Consult with your doctor about the right treatment, including the advantages and disadvantages of each type of treatment.
• Eat a nutritionally balanced diet.
• Get regular exercise as directed by your doctor.
• Do not smoke.
• Maintain ideal body weight.