I often say to men who are considering having invasive prostate treatment that they should consider it very carefully, because they may well come to regret having their treatment. Men often don't realise that they do have options.
In a new study, researchers looked at nearly 800 men who had been treated for prostate cancer with surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy, but now had signs that their disease might be returning. Overall, 15 percent of the men said they regretted having been treated for their cancer.
And those with cardiovascular disease such as heart failure or diabetes were 52 percent more likely than others to regret the treatment they'd chosen for their cancer.
Showalter called the study "another piece of evidence that supports closely monitoring men with prostate cancer" instead of treating them right away.
Men often get treatment such as radiation therapy or prostate surgery, which come with a high risk of urinary, bowel, and sexual problems. For example, in one recent study, half of men who weren't impotent before they were treated complained about sexual problems afterwards.
The new study, published in the British Journal of Urology International, included 243 prostate cancer patients with cardiovascular disease, 343 with other health issues, and 209 with no other diseases.
Researchers found men who regretted their treatment choice were also more likely to have been diagnosed at a younger age, be African American, or have experienced bowel problems from the therapy.
If you have some concerns about a rising PSA or a digital rectal examination that showed potential problems, you can avoid biopsy which is also an invasive treatments and generally leads to other invasive treatments.
My prostate protection program is a non-invasive alternative. It is not covered by medical insurance so not everyone can afford it, but if you can, there are many advantages to that approach. E-mail me if you would like further information about
Ben Ong
bensprostate.com