Men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer should discuss minimally invasive treatments with their doctor, as surgery could lead to complications such as male incontinence and impotence, an expert has advised.

Dr Bert Vorstman, a urologist and prostate cancer specialist in south Florida, believes that radical and robotic surgery has "single-handedly" increased the incidence of male incontinence worldwide.

He suggested that men who choose these treatments without considering less invasive options are gambling with their quality of life following surgery.

For instance, the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Study, which was initiated in 1994 by scientists at the US National Cancer Institute, found that men who had radical surgery continued to experience worse male incontinence five years later than men treated with radiotherapy.

In an extensive article on Hifurx.com, Dr Vorstman said: "For some, these issues are worse than the disease itself.

"Most prostate cancers are slow growing, which means patients and their partners have time to do their research and make a fully informed decision about treatment."

The expert added that, while aggressive treatment is usually recommended for cancers, prostate cancer patients can often wait and see how their disease progresses before seeking

treatment.

This in turn may reduce their chances of relying on male incontinence supplies, such as Tena Pants Discreet, in the future.