Do Prostate Cancer Treatments Result in a Shortened Penis?

Some men perceive a reduction in size and thus regret their treatment choice

A small percentage of men in a recent study complained that their penis seemed shorter following prostate cancer treatment. Some men felt the change in size interfered with intimate relationships and experienced feelings of regret when it came to the type of treatment they selected.

The study, published in the January issue of Urology, is the first of its kind to link men’s perceptions of a reduction in penis size to lowered life satisfaction, problems in emotional relationships, and misgivings about the specific form of prostate cancer treatment they chose.

Study researchers from Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center assessed surveys completed by physicians of 948 men treated for prostate cancer and who had suffered a recurrence of the disease. The majority of the men were in their 60s, 70s, and 80s, with 22% younger than 60. Just over half (54%) underwent radical prostatectomy, 24% received radiotherapy plus androgen deprivation therapy, and 22% had radiotherapy alone, which included both radiation administered by an external x-ray machine and brachytherapy.

Of the 948 participants, 25 men complained of smaller penises following treatment:

• 3.73% had surgery
• 2.67% had radiotherapy plus androgen deprivation therapy
• 0% had radiotherapy alone

Lead researcher, Paul Nguyen, MD, a radiation oncologist, said that the possible side effect of a smaller penis is well known among physicians and surgeons, “but it’s almost never discussed with patients, so it can be very upsetting to some men when it occurs.”

According to researchers, the patients brought up the issue in conversations with their doctors. Therefore, study authors encourage physicians to initiate a discussion regarding the possible side effect with their patients so they can make more informed treatment choices.

“Prostate cancer is one of the few cancers where patients have a choice of therapies, and because of the range of possible side effects, it can be a tough choice,” said Nguyen. “This study says that when penile shortening does occur, it really does affect patients and their quality of life. It’s something we should be discussing up front so that it will help reduce treatment regrets.”

Source: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.