The following tables are reproduced from Kirby et al. (2001) (5) who suggest possible advantages and disadvantages of radiotherapy and radical prostatectomy respectively.
However many of these issues are thought to be controversial.
Table 1: Radiotherapy
Advantages
- Potential cure
- Surgery avoided
- Anaesthetic avoided
- Outpatient therapy
- Enhanced by hormone-ablation therapy
Disadvantages
- Prolonged treatment required (5–8 weeks)
- No definitive staging possible
Potential morbidity
- Rectal injury (2–5%)
- Urinary incontinence (<5%)
- Impotence (20–30%)
- Bladder damage (2–5%)
Table 2: Radical prostatectomy
Advantages
- Potential cure
- Definitive staging possible
- Treatment of concomitant BPH
Disadvantages
- Major operation
- Potential mortality (<0.3%)
Potential morbidity
- Impotence (>50%)
- Severe incontinence (<5%)
- Pulmonary embolism (<1%)
- Rectal injury (<1%)
- Urethral stricture (<5%)
- Transfusion (20%)