Prostate cancer surgery affects quality of life

Surgery has always been considered the preferred treatment for prostate cancer, especially for patients with early prostate cancer. Once diagnosed, they are recommended to undergo surgical treatment as soon as possible, but this statement is currently controversial.

In the "2012 Hospital Report" released on July 24, 2012, Germany's largest statutory health insurance agency, Balmer Gök Insurance Company, stated that prostate cancer surgery will affect the patient's quality of life and surgery is not always the best method of treatment.

The researchers conducted a follow-up interview with 1,000 respondents who had undergone prostate surgery a year ago. 70% of the respondents complained of erectile problems, 53% had decreased libido, 16% had urinary incontinence symptoms, and 20% had complications such as bleeding and intestinal damage after surgery. In a survey on the satisfaction of prostate cancer patients after surgery, nearly half of the respondents reported that they were "partially satisfied" or "unsatisfied" with the treatment results. These figures show that the quality of life of many prostate cancer patients has been seriously affected after surgery to remove the prostate.

A previous study in the United States showed that the mortality rate of patients with local cancer who underwent surgery was comparable to that of those who did not undergo surgery 10 years later, but they were more likely to suffer from problems such as impotence, urinary incontinence, and bleeding. In other words, surgery did not bring them much benefit.

Therefore, surgery is not always the best way to treat prostate cancer, and it is not always necessary to undergo surgery, radiation, medication, and other treatments immediately. Active monitoring and long-term observation can sometimes be considered after communication between the doctor and the patient.