Prostate cancer radiation treatment may not be necessary for all cases of prostate cancer
. This type of cancer is known to progress extremely slowly and in many cases doctors simply opt not to treat it. When doctors do determine that it should be treated, prostate cancer radiation treatment is often effective. This type of cancer therapy comes in two forms: external beam radiation and brachytherapy.
External Beam Radiation
This form of prostate cancer radiation treatment uses high energy x-ray beams that are precisely directed at the tumor in the patients prostate gland. The radiation kills the cancer cells or inhibits their growth. The patient will have to undergo this treatment for five days a week over the course of several weeks. The main benefit of external beam radiation is that it uses a higher dose of radiation to treat the cancer. More radiation means that there is a lowered likelihood of the cancer recurring when compared to the low dose of radiation from brachytherapy.
Brachytherapy
This other type of prostate cancer radiation treatment involves using radioactive seeds or needles that are implanted within the patients body. The seeds or needles give off a low dose of radiation to kill the cancer or stop it from spreading, just like with the external beam radiation therapy. The radioactive needles are used in the temporary form of brachytherapy where they are implanted into the prostate and then removed a few minutes later. The temporary form is typically administered along with external beam radiation. The seeds are used in the permanent form and are implanted into the patient and left inside them. They are about the size of grains of rice and will eventually stop giving off radiation. The brachytherapy form of prostate cancer radiation treatment is usually only used for those types of cancer that are particularly slow-moving and that have been caught in the very early stages.
Potential Complications Resulting from Prostate Cancer Radiation Therapy As with any type of radiation treatment for cancer, patients will often suffer from generalized fatigue while undergoing prostate cancer radiation treatment. Other common side effects for patients undergoing both forms of prostate cancer radiation treatment include:
Diarrhea and other bowel problems.
Many patients suffer from erectile dysfunction.
Pain while urinating and/or the urge to urinate frequently.
It should be noted that there are drugs and other forms of treatment to help patient overcome the side effect of prostate cancer radiation therapy.