Treatment and Side Effects Archives

Treatment for Prostate Cancer: Surgery

The operation to remove the prostate, called a radical prostatectomy, is one of the most difficult surgical procedures there is. There are several reasons for this: One is simply the prostate’s hard-to-get-to location deep in the pelvis. Two, there are a lot of blood vessels and important nerves around there,. Read More

Treatment for Prostate Cancer: External-Beam Radiation Therapy

If you have localized prostate cancer that needs curative treatment, you have two good options: Radiation and surgery. (You can read more about surgery here.) More than 60,000 American men opt for radiation every year, and the cure rates are excellent. It doesn’t require anesthesia, and this makes it an. Read More

Which Procedure is Better – Robotic or Open Prostatectomy?

“Robot vs. Human Prostatectomy: It’s a Tie, At Least So Far.” “Robots as Good as Human Surgeons, Study Finds.” Headlines can be deceptive and not very helpful if you’re trying to choose the right treatment for prostate cancer. From these headlines, it almost sounds like an event took place –. Read More

How to Find an Expert Surgeon

Please Read This Before You Go Under the Knife: How to Find an Expert Surgeon If you have ever talked to a group of men who have had surgery for prostate cancer, you may have heard some stories that just break your heart. We have. Those stories are particularly upsetting. Read More

The Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) Questionnaire

This questionnaire can help you and your doctor determine if you have symptoms of ED (erectile dysfunction). For each question, note your answer by circling the number that approximates your belief.  Add your numbers together and refer to the table below to see what your score may mean. Over the. Read More

If You Still Need Help

If You Still Need Help MUSE: Meh. There is another type of therapy, called MUSE. Johns Hopkins urologist Trinity Bivalacqua, M.D., Ph.D., doesn’t recommend it, but your doctor might talk to you about it, so here’s what it is: MUSE stands for “Medicated Urethral System for Erections.” Basically, you take. Read More

Erectile Dysfunction After Prostate Surgery

Help for ED after Prostate Surgery: The Basics

What’s the secret to having a good sex life after prostate cancer? It’s very simple, says Johns Hopkins urologist Trinity Bivalacqua, M.D., Ph.D. “You use prescription erection pills. If they don’t work, you move to injectable medications. If they don’t work, you get a penile prosthesis. Also, having a loving. Read More

Interview with an Expert: Rehabilitating Your Penis

INTERVIEW WITH AN EXPERT Trinity Bivalacqua, M.D., Ph.D., the R. Christian B. Evensen Professor of Urology and Oncology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Rehabilitating Your Penis Will your sex life be the same after surgery? The absolute honest answer is, probably not, or at least, not for a while. But the. Read More

Take Back Your Sex Life

Surgery or radiation treatment for localized prostate cancer doesn’t mean that your sex life has to be over. But a big part of this may be up to you – and it’s not just that part. It may be up to you to ask your urologist for extra help. Here are. Read More

Progress Report: Adam S. Feldman, MD, MPH

Investigator: Adam S. Feldman, MD, MPH–Assistant Professor of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard School of Medicine Active Surveillance: Identifying When to Treat and When Not to Treat In 2010 nearly 218,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States. However, ~50% of those men will have low. Read More