Prostate cancer 'damages sex life'

[Northerner]

Around 160,000 men in the UK have been left with little or no sex life after treatment for prostate cancer, the Macmillan Cancer Support charity says.

It suggested rising cancer rates meant cases could more than double by 2030.

Yet many patients could be helped if more services were available on the NHS, it said.

Erectile dysfunction is a potential side-effect of surgery, radiotherapy and hormone therapy used to treat the condition.

More than 40,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK each year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21805991

 

[LeeLee]

This is not news, so I wonder why it's being raised now. I would have thought they would have been shouting about the improvement in this side-effect of treatment. I seem to recall that figures 10 years ago were more like 80% affected. It's a patient information issue - people need to be told of the likelihood of this happening before they are treated.

 

[trophywench]

Cos it's the worst thing in the world ever when men lose erectile function.

Whereas nobody gives a stuff about women who suffer either loss of libido (no female Viagra, is there?) or Vaginal Atrophy.

It is sad and yes it is very very very frustrating. But there are mechanical ways and means around the mens' problems, but although there is SOME treatment for women in the latter case, it doesn't work all that well at all in most cases.

Be honest everyone - we've probably all heard of ED - but who the hell's ever heard of VA - until they get it?