Side Effects After Radiation Treatment For Prostate Cancer

These rates do not appear to be affected in the long term by the use of short term 4 to 6 months hormone therapy but will be affected by the use of long term 18 to 36 months.

Side effects after radiation treatment for prostate cancer.

Radiation therapy has long been a staple of treatment for many types of cancers. Side effects of radiation therapy will depend mainly on the size of the area being treated the specific area or organs being treated the total dose of radiation the type of radiation therapy and the treatment schedule. To help you understand the safety of this procedure we shall look at both the short and long term side effects resulting from this treatment. When it comes to prostate cancer there are two kinds of radiation treatment.

Some common side effects of radiation therapy used for prostate cancer are. External beam radiation and. Most side effects are temporary can be controlled and generally improve over time once treatment has ended. Short term side effects of radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Radiation therapy also called x ray therapy uses high levels of radiation to kill prostate cancer cells or keep them from growing and dividing while minimizing damage to healthy cells. However radiation therapy has a slower delay in erectile function decline than surgery. During and after radiation treatment for prostate cancer there may be diarrhea and or rectal pain irritable bowels incontinence of feces and sometimes bloody stools 2 according to the acs this is more common with older forms of external beam radiation where the source of radiation is placed outside the body. They tend to occur after the treatment and lasts for few days to weeks.

Radiation therapy uses high energy rays or particles to kill cancer cells. Bowel problems including diarrhea. The type and severity of side effects you have with external beam radiation for prostate cancer may depend on the dose and on the amount of healthy tissue that s exposed to the radiation. Depending on the stage of the prostate cancer and other factors radiation therapy might be used.