Surgical oncology
Prostate cancer treatment
Surgery, radiotherapy and active surveillance are all legitimate options. Which is right depends on the grade, the stage, your age and your health.
In plain language
What this operation is
Prostate cancer is common in older men. It may cause urinary symptoms — a weaker stream, needing to pass urine more often, or getting up at night — but many of those symptoms are caused by simple enlargement of the prostate rather than cancer.
The most distinctive thing about prostate cancer is that not all of it needs immediate treatment. Some is slow-growing enough that active surveillance — regular monitoring with PSA, examination and repeat biopsy — is the appropriate choice, avoiding the side effects of treatment that would not extend life.
Where treatment is indicated, surgery to remove the prostate and radiotherapy are both established options with different side-effect profiles. Hormone treatment is used in some situations.
Who it is for
When this operation is advised
- A raised PSA on blood testing
- An abnormal prostate on examination
- Cancer confirmed on prostate biopsy
- Urinary symptoms alongside those findings
And when it is not. Not every prostate cancer needs immediate treatment. For low-risk disease, active surveillance may be the better choice — and choosing it is a decision, not a delay.
How it works
From assessment to follow-up
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01
First consultation
History, examination and review of every report and film you already have. Bring the actual films, not only the printed summaries.
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02
Diagnosis and staging
Biopsy confirms the diagnosis; imaging establishes how far the disease has gone. No treatment plan is made before this.
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03
The plan
Whether surgery is the right step, and in what order relative to chemotherapy or radiotherapy — agreed with you before anything is booked.
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04
Treatment and follow-up
The operation where appropriate, then the pathology report, and continuing follow-up.
Afterwards
What recovery involves
Recovery differs between patients. What follows is what usually happens — your own timeframe is given at discharge, based on the operation you actually had.
- Recovery depends on the operation performed and on your general health.
- A written discharge plan, wound-care guidance and a follow-up appointment are given before you leave.
- The pathology report usually takes some days and is discussed with you at follow-up.
- Whether further treatment is advised is decided once that report is available.
When to go to hospital instead
Complete inability to pass urine, heavy blood in the urine, or severe back pain with weakness in the legs needs emergency assessment.
Common questions
Questions patients ask
Anything not covered here can be answered at the consultation.
01 Does a raised PSA mean I have cancer?
Not necessarily. PSA rises with simple prostate enlargement, infection and inflammation as well as cancer. It is a reason for further assessment, not a diagnosis.
PSA02 What is active surveillance?
Regular monitoring with PSA tests, examination and repeat biopsy, rather than immediate treatment. It is used for low-risk cancers where treatment would bring side effects without benefit — and treatment can begin if things change.
Surveillance03 Surgery or radiotherapy — which is better?
Both are established treatments with comparable outcomes for many patients but different side-effect profiles. The right choice depends on the grade, stage, your age and health, and your own priorities.
OptionsNext step
Bring your reports to a consultation
Often one visit is enough to know whether an operation is needed at all.