Mark Roberts, a 52-year-old former soldier from Southport, Merseyside, is speaking out about the taboo side-effects of prostate cancer surgery after his own experience left him struggling with erectile dysfunction and incontinence. Despite his cancer being caught early at stage two, he says he was unprepared for the impact on his life and relationship with his wife Karen.
Eighteen months after surgery, Mr Roberts says he has not been able to have sex with his wife and still experiences incontinence after drinking beer. He admits feeling embarrassed and ashamed, and initially avoided discussing the issue with his partner. 'Some days I haven't felt like a man,' he said, calling for better support and preparation for men undergoing treatment.
The Daily Mail has been campaigning for a national prostate cancer screening programme, which a major study last month found could reduce deaths by 13 per cent. The campaign, backed by Prostate Cancer Research and former Prime Minister David Cameron, urges targeted screening for high-risk men. The UK National Screening Committee is due to report on the issue this week.
David James, director of patient projects at Prostate Cancer Research, said earlier detection could give men more treatment choices with lower rates of side-effects. He called for 'prehab' and 'rehab' support, including pelvic-floor exercises, libido-boosting drugs, and counselling. Research from 2023 supports the benefits of pre-surgery pelvic-floor training.
Mr Roberts acknowledges he is lucky his cancer was spotted early but hopes his story will encourage men to seek help and break the silence around side-effects. 'It takes a lot to admit these side-effects publicly – there's still a big taboo,' he said.
