Can prostate cancer treatments affect sexual performance?

Current treatments for prostate cancer can be associated with reduced sexual performance. Treatments include: 

• Surgery with radical prostatectomy (removal of the entire prostate gland)
• Radiation therapy by external beam and/or seed implant (brachytherapy)
• Cryosurgery (freezing prostate cancer tissue)
• Hormone therapy (to decrease androgens, e.g., testosterone)

Reduced sexual performance can present as:

• Erectile dysfunction (damage to arteries and/or nerves responsible for erections)
• Decrease in libido (sexual drive)