• Centers and Departments
• Back to Cancer Center
• Our Specialty Programs
• AIDS Malignancy Treatment and Research Program
• Brain Tumor Program
• BreastCare Center
• Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program
• Colon and Rectal Cancer Program
• Gastrointestinal & Hepatobiliary Program
• Genitourinary Oncology Program
• Gynecologic Oncology Program
• Hematology Oncology
• Kidney Tumor Program
• Liver Tumor Program
• Pancreatic Cancer Program
• Prostate Cancer Center
  • About the Prostate Care Program
  • Meet Our Team
  • Understanding Prostate Cancer
  • Diagnosing Prostate Cancer
  • Prostate Cancer Therapies
  • Quality of Life
  • Prostate Cancer Center in the News
  • Learn More about Prostate Cancer
  • Patient Testimonials
  • Patient Instructions
  • EPICCP
• Sarcoma Program
• Skin/Cutaneous Oncology Program
• Thoracic Oncology Program

Quality of Life

Treatment for early stage prostate cancer is highly effective but in some cases can also be associated with temporary or long-term side effects related to urinary, sexual, or bowel/rectal concerns.

The following links provide detailed information regarding Quality of Life related to these concerns after treatment of Early Stage Prostate Cancer.

• Urinary Function
• Sexual Function
• Bowel/Rectal Function

Longterm Effects

Quality of Life: Incontinent Urinary Function Problems

Shown below are rates of urinary incontinence persisting 2 years after treatment (magenta) or 6 years after treatment (blue) based on type of treatment.

Quality of Life: Frequency of Urinary Function Problems

Shown below are rates of overall urinary problems persisting 2 years after treatment (magenta) or 6 years after treatment (blue) based on type of treatment.

Quality of Life: Overall Urinary Function

Shown below are rates of urinary incontinence persisting 2 years after treatment (magenta) or 6 years after treatment (blue) based on type of treatment.

Please select a link below to view tables showing sexual outcome at two to five years after treatment of patients by faculty of the BIDMC Prostate Care Center and Faculty of the University of Michigan.

Quality of life: Sexual Function

Immediate Sexual Effects

• Prostectomy
• External Radiation
• Brachytherapy

Longterm Sexual Effects

• Less than 50 years old
• 50 to 60 years old
• 60 to 70 years old
• Over 70 years old

Immediate Sexual Effects

Prostectomy

• Immediate effects on erections (decline)
• Gradual recovery (6 months to 2 years)
• Key factors:
  • Age
  • Surgical technique: Nerve-sparing
  • Prostate size

External Radiation

• Some experience immediate effect, others no effect initially
• Gradual deterioration over ensuing years in some, not all
• Key factors:
  • Age
  • Use of adjuvant hormone therapy ( interaction with age)

Brachytherapy/Seed Implant

• Some experience immediate effect, others no effect initially
• Gradual deterioration over ensuing years in some, not all
• Key factors:
  • Age
  • Use of adjuvant hormone therapy

Longterm Sexual Effects

Sexual outcomes were more favorable for men <50 years of age. Almost all such younger men underwent bilateral nerve-sparing prostatectomy and reported sexual outcome after treatment as follows:

• 73% reported ability to have erections greater than half the time
• 60% reported erections firm enough for intercourse
• 86% reported fair or better orgasm
• 67% reported small or no problem with sexual outcome
• 53% reported no usage of medications or devices to assist erections

The table below shows bowel/rectal function outcomes at two to five years after treatment of patients by faculty of the BIDMC Prostate Care Center and Faculty of the University of Michigan.