Long-Term Complications from Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer: If only we had a crystal ball or our doctors could predict the future, we may be able to know the exact long-term side effects prostate cancer patients may have. But in lieu of the crystal ball or the power of being clairvoyant, there are no guarantees what long-term effects a patient may have from any prostate cancer treatment, including surgery, hormone therapy, cryotherapy, or radiation therapy. According to Cancer Research UK, most side effects from radiation for prostate cancer go away in the weeks or the months after treatment, but long-term side effects can persist. Those side effects include problems passing urine or leaking urine. “Almost 50 out of every 100 men (almost 50%) who have radical radiotherapy have some problem with leaking urine after 6 years,” according to Cancer Research UK. Another side effect can be impotence. If this happens, tell your doctor and seek treatment like medication to help with erectile dysfunction. Prostate cancer patients might also experience issues with their bowels or swelling of the legs or scrotum. The swelling is what’s called lymphedema. It happens when the lymph channels that drain fluid from the legs are damaged by the radiation. Radiation can also lead to problems with your bones because the radiation can make the bones weaker. It can also lead to a vitamin B12 deficiency, which can cause anemia. Finally, a small number of patients develop a second cancer years after the original prostate cancer treatment. According to the National Library of Medicine, one in 70 patients undergoing radiation and surviving more than 10 years after the prostate cancer diagnosis develop a second cancer. The most common sites are the bladder or the rectum. CyberKnife Benefits for Prostate Cancer Keep in mind, there are several types of radiation for prostate cancer. Among the most effective is CyberKnife. CyberKnife uses a technology called Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy or SBRT that’s different from traditional radiation treatments because CyberKnife continuously tracks the tumor in real-time so your treatment team can give the maximum dose of radiation directly to the cancer while minimizing radiation to the surrounding healthy tissue and nearby organs. And in many cases, CyberKnife’s precision can significantly reduce the risk of sexual, urinary and bowel function side effects. Prostate Cancer Treatment in Miami “CyberKnife is the most effective, safest, and quickest way to treat prostate cancer so you can put it behind you and get on with your life,” Dr. Mark Pomper board-certified radiation oncologist and medical director of CyberKnife Miami advises. Go to our blog now for the full story or call our prostate cancer experts at 305-279-2900. CyberKnife Center of Miami "The Beam of Life" #CyberKnife #cyberknifeforprostatecancer https://lnkd.in/gD4bQ5RM
