Men Complain Of Shortened Penis After Prostate Cancer Treatment

AFRIK UPDATE

HEALTH

                      

Men have complained their manhood is smaller after treatment, affecting their sex lives and causing them to regret the type of treatment they chose.
 

It's thought that some types of treatment, such as prostatectomy, can damage the nerves and tissues that cause an erection, so the penis is shortened.
 

'Prostate cancer is one of the few cancers where patients have a choice of therapies, and because of the range of possible side effects, it can be a tough choice,' added Dr Nguyen. 

'This study says that when penile shortening does occur, it really does affect patients and their quality of life. It's something we should be discussing up front so that it will help reduce treatment regrets.'

The likelihood and magnitude of penis shortening as a consequence of treatment have not been well studied, said the researchers.

                                                  
                                           

Previous studies had concluded there is shortened penis length following prostatectomy. 

'This is most common with non-nerve sparing surgery, as this may result in fibrosis and atrophy of erectile tissue due to damage to nerve and vascular structures.'

'Furthermore, it is hard to be certain of the accuracy of this data as the patients were asked if they thought the length of the penis had reduced. 

'The research also looked at the effect of treatment on sexual relationships and sexual function. We know that treatment for prostate cancer can come with some distressing side effects. However, in this particular study, the patients all had reoccurring tumours, and therefore their emotional well-being might have affected how they responded, and therefore the results may not be reflective of all men with this disease.

'It is extremely important that men are given balanced information so that they are able to make the best treatment  choice for them and  given the emotional and psychological support to deal with side effects should they experience them. 

'Any man who is concerned about the potential side effects of prostate cancer treatment should talk through their concerns with their doctor so that they make an informed choice about how to best treat their cancer while maintaining their quality of life.'