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Many men do not benefit from early prostate cancer surgery

A study of prostate cancer patients has shown that for most men with early-stage, non-aggressive prostate cancer are unlikely to benefit from surgery. In some cases, Oklahoma men with this type of prostate cancer have actually experienced worsened medical conditions following the surgery due to side effects like erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.

Most men with early-stage, low-risk prostate cancer who went through surgery showed no significant benefit. However, the side effects could have a radical impact on quality of life. No more than one of 100 men with this type of cancer who received major surgery was saved by the procedure. The quantity was statistically insignificant in assessing outcomes.

The research showed that 30 to 40 percent of men who had the surgery later experienced erectile dysfunction, and in the 10 years following their surgery, 30 percent developed problems with urinary incontinence. The study was designed to look at the results of treatment choices for men with early-stage prostate cancer.

Nearly 161,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States each year, thanks to the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. This test makes detection easier than ever before, and people diagnosed from prostate cancer are more likely to die of other causes before slow-growing tumors expand.

Unnecessary surgical procedures could constitute medical malpractice if they lead to other harmful conditions. Men who have undergone prostate surgery and who later develop incontinence or erectile dysfunction might want to meet with a medical malpractice attorney and discuss their situation. The attorney could consult with independent medical experts to see if this constituted negligence.