Each year, approximately 240,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States, according to MedlinePlus, a website of the National Institutes of Health. Men with prostate cancer can help fight off this disease by utilizing a number of treatment options, including radiation therapy. There are two major forms of radiation therapy for prostate cancer patients: external radiation therapy and internal radiation therapy, also called brachytherapy. Men should discuss the effects of these radiation treatments for prostate cancer with an oncologist before undergoing therapy.
Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence occurs in approximately 8 to 10 percent of men following radiation treatment for prostate cancer, report medical experts with the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Urinary incontinence is a condition characterized by the partial or complete loss of voluntary urination. Symptoms associated with this effect of radiation treatment include urine leakage during bladder stress, such as that caused by laughing or coughing. Certain men, especially those who undergo external radiation for prostate cancer, may also experience frequent or painful urination due to bladder irritation caused by radiation, warn health professionals with the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center. Urinary incontinence can be embarrassing to certain men, though this effect of radiation for prostate cancer typically resolves within a few months following treatment.
Impotence and Infertility
External and internal radiation treatment for prostate cancer can cause sexual effects in men. Affected men can become impotent or infertile following prostate cancer radiation therapy. Impotence is a medical condition in which men experience difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection during sexual stimulation. Impotence severity can differ between affected men, though at least 50 percent of men experience a permanent change in erectile function after radiation treatment, reports the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. This form of cancer treatment typically leads to infertility in treated men. As a result, men who undergo radiation treatment for prostate cancer may no longer be able to impregnate a woman.
Bowel Difficulties
Bowel difficulties, such as chronic diarrhea, upset stomach and rectal irritation or bleeding, can occur in certain men following radiation treatment, explains the UM Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center. Affected men, especially those who undergo brachytherapy, can also experience sensations of pain or burning within the rectum or near the anus. These uncomfortable effects of radiation treatment for prostate cancer can be ongoing and are often difficult to effectively treat.
Fatigue
Men with prostate cancer who choose external radiation therapy can experience increased fatigue as an effect of this form of cancer treatment. Excessive fatigue can make it difficult for treated men to remain alert and active during their usual daily activities, such as work or exercise. Increased drowsiness or tiredness is typically temporary, but can persist for several months after radiation therapy ends, explain Seattle Cancer Care Alliance health professionals.
Bladder or Rectal Cancer
Radiation therapy increases a prostate cancer patient's future risk of developing bladder or rectal cancer, warn medical experts with the National Cancer Institute. These risks should be discussed with a doctor before a prostate cancer patient receives radiation therapy.
References
- Seattle Cancer Care Alliance: Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer
- University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum cancer Center: Prostate Cancer - Treatment Options
- National Cancer Institute: Prostate Cancer Treatment - Radiation Therapy
- MedlinePlus: X-Plain Radiation Therapy For Prostate Cancer
- MayoClinic.com: Urinary Incontinence - Symptoms
