How Do I Cope With Treatment ... Health Article

When you are being treated for prostate cancer, it is possible that you will have side effects and, perhaps, symptoms of the disease itself. For instance, the cancer itself can cause symptoms if the tumor puts pressure on an organ or body part and causes pain. Or the tumor may interfere with that organ or body part’s function. 

The treatments to destroy cancer cells can harm healthy cells at the same time, and that means treatment can cause side effects.

Side effects affect each person differently. Some people have none, while others may have many. Some may change over time, while others stay the same. Some may be temporary, while others may be permanent.

When side effects occur, they can interfere with your day-to-day life. These side effects can range from hot flashes and tiredness, called fatigue, to the inability to have an erection, called impotence, to leaking or losing control of your urine, called incontinence. Some side effects may make other symptoms feel worse. For example, if you’re depressed or not sleeping well, you may be tired. When you are more tired, your pain may feel worse. Getting relief from one side effect may help others.

The kind of side effects you have depend on the type of treatment you have. And the treatment is based on whether the cancer is localized to the prostate or spread away from the prostate. In this section, you’ll see two lists for how to cope with side effects: one for side effects from localized cancer and one for advanced cancer.

It will also help you feel better by learning how to communicate with your healthcare team about how you feel and by getting support. You’ll find more information about each of these topics in this section.