HealthWise KnowledgeBase
Radical Prostatectomy
Why It Is Done
Radical prostatectomy is most often used if testing shows that the cancer has not spread outside the prostate.
Radical prostatectomy is sometimes used to relieve urinary obstruction in men with more advanced (stage III) cancer. But a different operation, called a transurethral resection of the prostate (Reference TURP Opens New Window), is most often used for that purpose. Surgery usually is not considered a cure for advanced cancer. But it can help relieve symptoms.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: September 12, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Reference Christopher G. Wood, MD, FACS - Urology, Oncology |
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