Your sex life with prostate cancer.

Considerable emotional and mental processing comes with a prostate cancer diagnosis. "Prostate cancer strikes a personal part of a man's body, and for most, it is a glaring sign of aging and a reminder they are not as young as before," says Dr. Mark Pomerantz, an oncologist with Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Then there is the stressful decision about treatment. Yet many men don't realize how much their choice may influence their sex life.

"Common treatment options often affect sexual function and desire in some way, from erectile dysfunction to low libido," says Dr. Pomerantz.

"Managing prostate cancer is difficult for many men," says Dr. Pomerantz. "Knowing how it may cross over to other parts of their life, especially their sexual one, can help in the decision-making process."