Which is Better Surgery vs Radiation for Prostate Cancer? - Dr. David Samadi - PROS & CONS

Prostate Cancer Radiation vs Surgery PROS & CONS by Dr. David Samadi
Dr. David Samadi, one of the best robotic prostate cancer surgeons in New York, provides important information regarding 2 of the most widespread prostate cancer treatment options: radiation and surgery for prostate cancer.
In general, there are 2 major options for prostate cancer.
On one side, you have the surgery, on the other side I call it a whole other bucket of treatment options: proton beam, cyberknife, it had so many advertisements, it goes in the bucket of radiation, seed implant, external beam radiation, HIFU, cryotherapy, all of them - they go in one bucket and surgery goes in the other bucket. And you are right at the fork.
So what is the difference, what are the pros and cons, and what are some of the advantages?
When it comes to surgery, we are removing the entire prostate, we are removing the sample of lymph nodes, the seminal vesicles. You would be able to get a very accurate stage. "How much cancer, doctor, do I have?", "What type of cancer?", "Where is it located?" and that stage comes with surgery, but radiation won't give you that kind of answer.
The other advantage of surgery is that your PSA after surgery should be zero or undetectable. It is peace of mind for the family to know that your cancer is gone and you are cured of this disease. Whereas a lot of times after radiation, there could be a couple of years, 18 months to 20 months that the PSA can fluctuate and that could be a major source of emotional distress for your family.
With radiation, the prostate still remains in the body, so that patient may continue to need biopsies, whereas the person who has had surgery probably won't need another biopsy and you know those biopsies are not fun.
If, and this a very important comment I am gonna make right now: If your cancer ever comes back after surgery, the idea or having a plan B to have a low-dose radiation after surgery is feasable. Whereas if you start with radiation and if the cancer comes back, the surgery would be very difficult and challenging.
So I want you to know this because not too many people are aware of this. Again, one more time, start with surgery and you still have the radiation as an option. But if you start with radiation, surgery would be very difficult. This is because the tissue becomes like a cement attached to the rectum and to the csurrounding tissues and it would be very difficult to do that opperation.
As you get older, because we have removed the prostate thorough surgery, you do not have to worry about the old men disease and enlarged prostate, whereas with radiation there might be some consequences of bleeding from the rectum, bleeding from the bladder.
Certainly, in the hands of experienced radiation oncologist, we have superb doctors at St. Francis Hospital. One of my colleagues, Dr. Jay Bosworth, whom I am looking forward to interviewing him at this program, is a fine radiation oncologist and you will have what to learn from him.
So, the risks of side-effects in the hands of an experienced radiation oncologist would be less. But there is a small chance of having secondary cancers such as rectal cancer or bladder cancer at some point down the road after radiation.
If have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, call us! I am happy to give a second opinion.
#drdavidsamadi #prostatecancersurgery #prostatecancerradiation #prostatecancertreatmen