Prostate cancer and urinary incontinence: Link and more

Urinary incontinence sometimes occurs as a symptom of prostate cancer, but it is more commonly a side effect of prostate cancer surgery. Bladder control usually improves over time after surgery, and health professionals can help a person manage the condition.

Prostate cancer is a common type of cancer that begins in the prostate gland, between the bladder and the penis.

Doctors can often treat the cancer successfully with methods including surgery to remove the tumor and radiation therapy. Urinary incontinence is a possible side effect of these treatments.

This article looks at whether prostate cancer causes urinary incontinence, how common urinary incontinence is with prostate cancer, and the treatment of the condition. It also discusses the outlook of urinary incontinence with prostate cancer, and when to speak with a doctor.

Prostate cancer may sometimes cause urinary incontinence, although it is not a common symptom.

Advanced prostate cancer is more likely than earlier stages to cause incontinence, as an enlarged tumor may compress the spinal cord. This can affect bladder and bowel control.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), doctors usually diagnose prostate cancer at earlier stages. From 2017 to 2021, doctors diagnosed 70% of prostate cancer cases at the earliest, localized stage of the disease.

Some treatments for prostate cancer, including surgery and radiation therapy, may cause urinary incontinence.

The main type of surgery to treat prostate cancer is a radical prostatectomy. In this procedure, a surgeon removes the prostate gland, some surrounding tissue, and sometimes, nearby lymph nodes.

The surgery may damage the bladder sphincter, a valve that prevents urine from leaking from the bladder.

Radiation therapy for prostate cancer may irritate the bladder and cause radiation cystitis. This condition may cause urinary incontinence, although this occurs less often than after surgery. The treatment can also affect bladder control by causing urethral stricture, which is a narrowing of the tube from the bladder to the penis.

Urinary incontinence is not a common symptom of prostate cancer, but is one of the most common side effects of prostate surgery to treat the cancer.

A 2025 review of studies indicates that 69% of people experience urinary incontinence after undergoing a radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.

Other research suggests the incidence rate of urinary incontinence is 72% within three months of radical prostatectomy, and 18% to 35% within 12 months.

Radiation therapy for prostate cancer may also cause urinary incontinence. According to Cancer Research UK, around 40% of people with prostate cancer experience bladder control problems after the treatment.

If the prostate cancer is the direct cause of the urinary incontinence due to the tumor compressing the spinal cord, treating the cancer may help relieve bladder control problems. Common treatments for prostate cancer include:

If a radical prostatectomy surgery causes urinary incontinence, the condition may improve on its own over time. People typically regain bladder control within three to six months of the surgery. However, it can take up to two years for some to recover, and a small number of people experience permanent urinary incontinence.

Treatment for urinary incontinence from prostate cancer therapy includes the following.

A healthcare professional can help a person learn to use exercises and products to manage urinary incontinence caused by prostate cancer treatment. These include:

A doctor may prescribe medication to treat urinary incontinence from radiation cystitis to relax the bladder muscle. Types of medications include alpha blockers and anticholinergics.

If other treatment methods do not improve urinary incontinence from prostate cancer treatment, a doctor may suggest surgery. Types include:

Urinary incontinence from prostate cancer surgery typically resolves within three to six months of the procedure. If a person continues to experience long-term bladder control issues, treatment can help manage and improve the condition.

If radiation therapy causes cystitis that leads to urinary incontinence, bladder symptoms will usually resolve within a few weeks or months of treatment. Treatment, including medication and bladder stimulation, can help improve bladder control.

If a urethral stricture occurs after radiation therapy, a person may require a surgical procedure to widen the urethra.

A small number of people experience permanent urinary problems after prostate cancer treatment. Healthcare professionals and self-management strategies can help a person treat and manage the condition and prevent complications.

Prostate cancer does not typically cause urinary incontinence. However, large tumors may compress the spinal cord, which may affect the bladder, or prostate enlargement can pinch off the urethra, causing overflow urinary incontinence.

Urinary incontinence is a common side effect of surgery and radiation therapy to treat prostate cancer. Bladder issues after treatment typically improve within a few months, although a few people experience long-term or permanent urinary incontinence.

Treatment can help manage and improve urinary incontinence from prostate cancer treatment. Options include surgery, medication, pelvic floor exercises, and self-management strategies.