Treatment

Side Effects of Prostate Cancer Treatment

Although prostate cancer treatments attempt to destroy only cancer cells, they may also damage healthy cells and tissues. A side effect is an undesirable action or effect of a treatment or drug. The seriousness and duration of side effects vary from patient to patient and depend on the type and extent of treatment.

The major side effects associated with prostate cancer treatment are:

• Urinary incontinence: the inability to hold urine inside the bladder voluntarily or prevent leaking or dribbling.
  
  
• Erectile dysfunction: the inability to achieve or maintain an erection adequate for sexual intercourse.

The Prostate Cancer pages of this Web site are part of the Comprehensive Prostate Cancer Awareness Program (CPCAP), a major regional effort to reduce the rates of death and illness caused by prostate cancer in southwestern Pennsylvania. Funding for CPCAP is provided by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

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