One of the greatest concerns voiced by uninsured patients who choose to pay for surgery themselves (‘self-funding’) is ‘if I have prostate surgery privately will the NHS look after me afterwards?’ The answer is unequivocally ‘yes’. The NHS is very flexible in this regard – if you are a UK (or EU, at least for…
Introduction Occasionally I have patients coming to see me to enquire about surgery after HIFU treatment has not cured their cancer completely. In some cases, it comes back quite aggressively, so I wanted to write this article to explain what can be done for such patients and what the prognosis can be. How HIFU works…
The concept of prostate cancer recurrence after prostatectomy puzzles many patients. A frequently asked question is ‘how can the cancer come back if the prostate has been removed?’ The explanation is that, as with any cancer, if cancerous cells migrate out of the organ in which they arose before the organ is removed (or treated…
Introduction As enlightened readers of the Prostate Cancer Information Centre will know by now, the PSA test on its own cannot tell us if a patient has prostate cancer (many patients with prostate cancer in fact do not have an abnormal PSA level) – it is only an indicator, although generally a reliable one. As…
Introduction One of the major benefits of keyhole surgery compared to open surgery is a much faster return to normal activities and general exercise. However, radical prostatectomy is still a major operation for a patient to undergo that requires many weeks for the body to fully recover, so it’s important to understand what you should…
Nerve regeneration after radical prostatectomy (and the subsequent return of erectile function) usually does take some time, assuming that both nerve bundles around the prostate were able to be preserved by the surgeon. This is because the nerves and arteries that control erections need time to recover and heal. This article explains why this is…
Introduction Many men worry about enjoying a normal sex life after prostate surgery, as the removal of the prostate during surgery (radical prostatectomy) means that the pathway of sperm from the testicles is interrupted (just as it is following a vasectomy done for family planning). Furthermore, the seminal vesicles, which produce the rest of the seminal…
If you have just been diagnosed with prostate cancer by your urologist or Nurse Specialist, you may be wondering what to do next. First of all, do not panic. There are more than 40,000 cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the UK every year and very good support networks, so you are not alone. Generally,…
Men diagnosed with prostate cancer are placed in a unique and unenviable position in that they are usually asked to decide themselves how they want it treated. Patients understandably want the best treatment and for many this equates to having the latest technique. Many conclude that their best option lies with either radiotherapy or surgery,…
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