Can prostate cancer be removed?

A prostatectomy removes the prostate and may include nearby tissues or lymph nodes when clinically appropriate. Surgery is generally considered when the cancer appears treatable with an operation and the person is well enough for it. Removing the prostate does not remove cancer that has already spread beyond the areas covered by surgery, so scans, biopsy findings, and staging matter. Some people are offered monitoring or radiotherapy instead, while others need a combination of treatments. Possible long-term effects include changes in urinary control and erections; your surgeon should explain how these risks relate to your situation.

Ask the urology and oncology teams to explain the aim of treatment and what the tests show about spread. Compare [Prostate Removal Surgery](/treatments/surgical-oncology/prostatectomy/) with [Radiotherapy](/treatments/radiation-oncology/radiotherapy/) and other suitable choices. Ask about open, laparoscopic, or [Robotic Cancer Surgery](/treatments/surgical-oncology/robotic-cancer-surgery/) approaches, recovery, catheter use, continence support, and sexual rehabilitation. Tell the team about urinary problems, blood-thinning medicines, and other conditions before an operation.

Before treatment, seek review for worsening urinary difficulty, fever, blood in urine, or new severe pain. After surgery, contact the clinical team urgently for heavy bleeding, fever with feeling very unwell, severe abdominal pain, a blocked catheter, or inability to pass urine after catheter removal. Emergency care is appropriate for collapse, chest pain, or sudden breathlessness.

Ask whether the cancer is confined to the prostate and what the operation would remove. Ask how surgery compares with radiotherapy for cancer control and side effects in your case. Ask when continence and sexual-function support begins, and what follow-up tests will be used.