What should you know about prostate cancer treatment side effects?

Surgery can affect urine control and erections. Radiotherapy may irritate the bladder or bowel and cause tiredness. Hormone-based treatment may influence hot flushes, sexual interest, mood, muscle, and bone health. Other medicines can cause nausea, blood-count changes, skin reactions, or fatigue.

Some effects begin during treatment and others later. Tell the team what you notice rather than waiting for the next appointment; early advice can prevent a manageable problem becoming more disruptive.

Record symptoms, timing, medicines, fluids, bowel movements, urinary changes, pain, and sleep. Check before taking a new supplement or non-prescription medicine. Ask about pelvic-floor support, diet, exercise, sexual health, and bone protection.

Supportive treatments can ease discomfort. Do not stop cancer medicine on your own; call the team if an effect is hard to tolerate.

Report fever, chills, repeated vomiting, severe diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, heavy bleeding, rapidly worsening pain, or new confusion promptly.

Seek emergency help for chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, collapse, or sudden weakness or numbness with bladder or bowel changes.

Which effects are relevant to my treatment? Which symptoms need same-day advice? What can relieve urinary, bowel, sexual, sleep, pain, or mood changes? How long might an effect last?