Quality of life for prostate cancer patients varies by type of treatment, study reveals

Quality of life after prostate cancer treatment varies by the type of treatment patients receive, a new study reveals.

In the study of 5727 patients, sexual function declined with all treatment modalities, with the steepest decline after surgery. Open surgery to remove the prostate was linked with more decline than robotic surgery. Robotic surgery patients experienced a higher return of sexual function, approaching that of patients who received brachytherapy (radioactive implants) and radiation at 24 months. Urinary incontinence also declined the most for surgical patients, with robotic surgery patients improving slightly more than open surgery patients at 12 to 24 months.

"We hope our patient-reported outcomes and the comprehensive data collection in this cancer registry study will not only shed light on better patient counseling and care, but also better tracking of outcomes measurements in today's healthcare climate," said Dr. Gary Chien, lead author of the BJU International study.