Prostate cancer affects sex organs directly. Men suffering from this cancer undergo prostatectomy in which prostate gland is removed and it is not guaranteed that they would get an erection again. The possibility varies from 25 % to 80%. The result depends on many factors like age of the person, skill levels of the doctor or surgeon, location of the cancerous tumor.

Certain tumors can be near a nerve which may affect the never being impaired and leading to dysfunction. Hence operation needs to be done very carefully and even after this it is not guaranteed that nerves may regain normalcy after 6-18 months and be active for sexual activity.  Other treatments for prostate cancer are radiation treatment which also is known to harm the erectile tissue. Two types of radiation therapies are known, one is beam radiation and other method of radiation is brachytherapy in which seeds emitting radiation are implanted in prostate which help erection.

These remedies may not show benefits even up to two years of treatment. When hormones are used to cure prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction is not ruled out as a side effect. Few of such hormonal medications are leuprolide (Lupron), flutamide (Eulexin), goserelin (Zoladex) and bicalutamide (Casodex).