Comparing the benefits and risks of your treatment options

What effect does each treatment option have on urinary function?

There is some evidence that urinary function is better for people offered radiotherapy than those offered surgery to remove the prostate.

At 6 months, problems with urinary continence were reported in:

• 71 out of 100 patients offered surgery to remove the prostate
• 38 out of 100 patients offered radiotherapy.

At 6 years, problems with urinary continence were reported in:

• 69 out of 100 patients offered surgery to remove the prostate
• 49 out of 100 patients offered radiotherapy.

At 6 months, moderate to severe urinary incontinence problems were reported in:

• 19 out of 100 patients offered surgery to remove the prostate
• 6 out of 100 patients offered radiotherapy.

At 6 years, moderate to severe urinary incontinence problems were reported in:

• 13 out of 100 patients offered surgery to remove the prostate
• 5 out of 100 patients offered radiotherapy.

What effect does each treatment option have on bowel function?

There is some evidence that bowel function is better for people offered surgery to remove the prostate than those offered radiotherapy in the short term.

At 6 months, problems with faecal incontinence more than once per week were reported in:

• 1 out of 100 patients offered surgery to remove the prostate
• 5 out of 100 patients offered radiotherapy.

At 6 years, problems with faecal incontinence more than once per week were reported in:

• 2 out of 100 patients offered surgery to remove the prostate
• 4 out of 100 patients offered radiotherapy.

At 6 months, moderate to severe impact of bowel habits on quality of life was reported in:

• 3 out of 100 patients offered surgery to remove the prostate
• 10 out of 100 patients offered radiotherapy.

At 6 years, moderate to severe impact of bowel habits on quality of life was reported in:

• 3 out of 100 patients offered surgery to remove the prostate
• 2 out of 100 patients offered radiotherapy.

What effect does each treatment option have on sexual function?

There is some limited evidence that sexual function is better for people offered radiotherapy than those offered surgery to remove the prostate.

At 6 months, moderate or severe problems with sexual function were reported in:

• 66 out of 100 patients offered surgery to remove the prostate
• 48 out of 100 patients offered radiotherapy.

At 6 years, moderate or severe problems with sexual function were reported in:

• 50 out of 100 patients offered surgery to remove the prostate
• 36 out of 100 patients offered radiotherapy.