Your doctor will explain the benefits, possible disadvantages and side effects of the treatments to you. You can then decide what is best for your particular situation. The benefits and disadvantages of the treatments for advanced prostate cancer are outlined in the following pages. Before you have any treatment it is important that you are fully aware of them.

It is not possible for doctors to predict accurately who is going to be affected by the side effects of each treatment, so you need to be given full information about the risks beforehand and have plenty of opportunity to discuss them. Remember, there are often choices to be made about which treatment you should have, or even whether to have treatment. You can take as large or small a part in those choices as you wish.

Hormonal therapy lowers the level of testosterone in the body, either by using tablets or injections, or by removing the testes.

Benefits: Can shrink the cancer and delay its growth, and relieve symptoms for many months or years.

Risks: It can cause a range of side effects that include breast swelling, hot flushes, impotence and lowered sex drive.

This is the use of anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy for prostate cancer is usually given as injections and drips (infusions) into a vein (intravenously).

Benefits: Can help to control the cancer and relieve symptoms if hormonal therapies are no longer working.

Risks: Chemotherapy can cause side effects, such as sickness, fatigue and hair loss.

Surgery can be used to relieve symptoms of urinary obstruction (trans-urethral resection of the prostate - TURP).

Benefits: Can help relieve symptoms that occur when passing urine.

Risks of a TURP: There a very small risk of urinary incontinence. Some men have problems getting an erection after a TURP.

Radiotherapy uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells. It can be used to relieve symptoms of bone pain. This usually involves one or two treatment sessions given to the affected bone.

Benefits: Can help to relieve bone pain and strengthen a weakened bone. Usually has very few side effects - these are generally mild.

Risks: It can take 7-10 days for the radiotherapy to start reducing the pain and may take up to six weeks before the full effect is felt. Pain may become slightly worse before it gets better.