Try to see a couple of specialists before you make a final decision. Surgery isn't the only option and being a young man, you may prefer a treatment that is less likely to have serious side effects. Also, don't assume that robotic RP is better than open RP - new data has shown that open surgery has slightly better outcomes in terms of side effects, recurrence, need for adjuvant treatment and 10 year survival. The benefit of robotic is that you are in hospital for a shorter time and possibly back to work sooner.
My husband was 50 and opted for open RP but that was partly because he had existing abdominal scars from having his appendix removed - existing scarring makes keyhole problematic sometimes. If he could have had brachytherapy he would have done but at the time he was considered too young. Now they don't seem to have a lower age limit for brachytherapy.
Also, if you are having it done privately, check what you will and won't be entitled to afterwards. John had his op privately but that meant he had no access to a nurse specialist, no help from district nursing team, no entitlement to things like the incontinence service or counselling and we really had to fight to get treatment for ED. If we had known that was how our CCG works, we would have had the private consultation but gone back into the NHS for the actual operation.
Edited by member 21 Dec 2017 at 22:20
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