prostate-report.org

Few major complications after prostate radiation

Radiation therapy “is quite safe for older patients, although it is associated with a small but measurable increase in short-term major complications,” has concluded a study at University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. New research shows. This new research shows that less than 7 percent of men with prostate cancer who have radiation therapy experience major complications in the first 30 days,

Despite being older and having more co-existing illnesses, men who received radiation had lower complication rates in each category compared with men who had surgery, the investigators found.

The researchers consider that when deciding on active treatment, doctors should consider a triangle of point of view such patient’s safety, long-term efficacy and long-term toxicity of treatment. That means to consider particularly genitourinary, sexual, and gastrointestinal side effects and complications of any possible treatment.