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Prostate Cancer Treatment Side Effects
Why is the research linked below talking about “complications?” The research confirms that prostate cancer treatment side effects are serious and must be understood before the PCa patient chooses his therapy plan.
Cancer treatment, cancer therapies have short, long-term and late stage side effects. I understand this. The challenge that men diagnosed with prostate cancer face a host of different therapies, each with a different risk of side effects. PCa patients must understand the possible side effects that they face depending on the possible treatment that they choose.
What possible treatment-related side effects occur from prostate cancer treatment?
1. Surgery (Prostatectomy)
- Urinary incontinence: Some men experience difficulty controlling urine, which may improve over time, but others may have persistent incontinence.
- Erectile dysfunction (ED): Damage to nerves around the prostate can affect erections, and ED can be temporary or permanent depending on individual factors.
- Infertility: Since the prostate and seminal vesicles are removed, it’s not possible to ejaculate, impacting fertility.
- Changes in orgasm: Men may still experience orgasm but with no ejaculation (dry orgasm).
- Pain and healing: Post-surgical pain is common, along with a period of healing that may include swelling and discomfort.
2. Radiation Therapy
- Urinary issues: Symptoms can include burning or pain during urination, urinary frequency, or incontinence.
- Bowel issues: Diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and pain during bowel movements can occur due to radiation affecting the rectum.
- Erectile dysfunction: This can develop gradually over time post-radiation, affecting erectile quality.
- Fatigue: Many men feel tired, especially as radiation treatment progresses.
- Secondary cancers: Radiation exposure increases the risk, albeit very small, of developing another cancer in nearby tissues over time.
3. Hormone Therapy
- Hot flashes: Similar to menopause, hormone therapy can cause sudden feelings of warmth and sweating.
- Loss of libido and erectile dysfunction: Lower testosterone levels can lead to reduced sexual desire and ability.
- Bone thinning: Hormone therapy increases the risk of osteoporosis, making fractures more likely.
- Mood changes: Anxiety, depression, and mood swings can occur due to hormonal shifts.
- Weight gain and muscle loss: Hormone therapy can cause fat accumulation and muscle atrophy.
- Heart health risks: Long-term hormone therapy can increase the risk of cardiovascular issues.
4. Chemotherapy
- Nausea and vomiting: Common but can often be managed with medication.
- Hair loss: Depends on the drugs used, but hair loss can happen.
- Fatigue: Often profound and can last beyond treatment.
- Immune suppression: Chemotherapy can reduce white blood cell count, increasing infection risk.
- Neuropathy: Some drugs cause nerve damage, leading to numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.
5. Immunotherapy
- Flu-like symptoms: Fever, chills, and body aches are common.
- Fatigue: Immunotherapy can be exhausting for some patients.
- Skin reactions: Rashes, itching, and redness at the injection site or elsewhere.
- Autoimmune reactions: In rare cases, the immune system may attack other organs, such as the lungs, liver, or intestines.
6. Targeted Therapy
- Fatigue: A common side effect of targeted drugs.
- Skin issues: Rashes and skin dryness, particularly on the face and scalp.
- Gastrointestinal issues: Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can occur.
Radiation and Surgery Side Effects for Prostate Cancer | Ask a Prostate Expert, Mark Scholz, MD
In the years following my own aggressive therapies (not for PCa), I experienced more than a dozen long-term and late stage side effects that could have been minimized or even prevented altogether if my oncologist knew better.
At a minimum, PCa patients who undergo any form of radiation therapy should follow with hyperbolic oxygen therapy.
PCa patients who have a prostatectomy should pre-habilitate before, during and after their treatment.
Last but not least, remember that there are many different PCa treatments other than surgery or radiation. It is in your interest to learn about them.
Email me at David.PeopleBeatingCancer@gmail.com if you have any questions about treatment side effects.
Hang in there,
David Emerson
- Cancer Survivor
- Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Prostate Cancer Treatment Associated With More Complications
“TOPLINE:
Patients treated for prostate cancer had higher rates of complications, including urinary and sexual issues, than a control group of men. Radiotherapy increases the risk for bladder cancer and radiation-specific complications, according to the new cohort study.
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers conducted a cohort study to try to characterize long-term treatment-related adverse effects and complications in patients treated for prostate cancer, compared with a general population of older males.
- They used data from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial and the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial, linked with Medicare claims. A total of 29,196 participants were included in the study’s control group. Of 3946 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer, 655 were treated with prostatectomy, and 1056 were treated with radiotherapy.
- Participants were followed for a median of 10.2 years, with specific follow-up durations being 10.5 years and 8.5 years for the prostatectomy and radiotherapy groups, respectively.
- The study analyzed ten potential treatment-related complications using Medicare claims data, including urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and secondary cancers.
- Multivariable Cox regression was used to adjust for age, race, and year of time-at-risk initiation, with stratification by study and intervention arm.
TAKEAWAY:
- At 12 years, there was a 7.23 increase in hazard risk for urinary or sexual complications for patients who had prostatectomy, compared with controls (P < .001).
- Radiotherapy-treated patients had a nearly three times greater hazard risk for bladder cancer and a 100-fold increased hazard risk for radiation-specific complications, such as radiation cystitis and radiation proctitis (P < .001).
- The incidence of any treatment-related complication per 1000 person-years was 124.26 for prostatectomy, 62.15 for radiotherapy, and 23.61 for untreated participants.
- The authors stated that these findings highlight the importance of patient counseling before prostate cancer screening and treatment.
IN PRACTICE:
“We found that, after accounting for baseline population rates, most patients with PCA undergoing treatment experience complications associated with worse quality of life and/or new health risks. The magnitude of these risks, compared with the relatively small benefit found by randomized clinical trials of PCA screening and treatment, should be explicitly reflected in national cancer screening and treatment guidelines and be integral to shared decision-making with patients before initiation of PSA screening, biopsy, or PCA treatment,” wrote the authors of the study.”
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