Cancer Radiation of the Prostate Side Effect By Jane Smith

For the last several years, a large number men in America have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, making it the most common types of cancer that affects men. A person is said to have prostate cancer when the prostate gland is affected by cancerous cells. It is usually found in men above 65 years, but there have also been cases where even younger men have been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The advancement of technology there are a variety of treatment measures that aid in treating prostate cancer. The two most popular ways of treating prostate cancer are surgery and radiation therapy. The treatment measure used would vary from person to person. For some people, surgery would be used only, while for others radiation therapy would be the most effective. Sometimes, the treatment would be a combination of both surgery and radiation. Other treatment measures for prostate cancer include chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, etc.

Radiation therapy, like surgery for prostate cancer aims at destroying the cancerous cells present in the prostate gland. Though radiation therapy is an effective way of treating prostate cancer, it comes with a number of side effects. However, before we look at the prostate cancer radiation side effects, it is important to know about the 2 types of radiation therapy available for treating prostate cancer.

Types of Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Radiation Therapy (External): This is a form of radiation therapy that is done by exposing the radiation to the affected area externally. This therapy, which is also known as radiotherapy is actually a painless procedure, however the treatment has to be done for five days a week and it takes almost 5-6 weeks for the whole procedure to get over. During this treatment, the external part of the cancerous area is marked and radiation beam is exposed to that part. The specialist would monitor the cancerous cells before and after every radiation therapy.

Radiation Therapy (Internal): As suggested by the name, internal radiation therapy is where the treatment is done directly. In this form of radiation therapy, there is insertion of seeds that possesses radioactive energy to the prostate. The seeds emit radiation for some time and once the radiation effect dies down, the seeds lie in the prostate gland harmlessly. This treatment procedure which is also known as prostate brachytherapy takes only an hour and unlike external radiation therapy, the patient does not require to visit the specialist more than once. Hence, more and more people are going for internal radiation therapy. However, doctors do not recommend this treatment for people who have reached very advanced stages of prostate cancer.

Side Effects of Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Though there have been many cases where radiation therapy has
helped in treating prostate cancer effectively, most people experience certain side effects after doing radiation therapy. When therapy is done, the radiation is likely to affect the vital organs that surround the prostate gland, leading to other health problems.

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