Anyone have experience with radiation therapy for prostate cancer?

[elleng]

A friend has been diagnosed, and is trying to decide on the best way to be treated.

Thanks for thoughts.

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Best bet for almost any medical decision making

is to start with Cochrane reports:

http://www.cochrane.org/

These are meta-analyses of studies that are done to good standards, designed to answer real questions like yours. You'll need to know (and probably already do know) the type of radiation therapy proposed - brachytherapy (implanted seeds) or therapy via external beam, and what variation of each.

A few caveats ahead of time:

- After researching this, the way to proceed will likely be not super clear
- Be very careful of clinical recommendations by doctors (I work with Harvard Med School docs as part of my job, talk about watching sausage get made...). It's pretty important to check that actual clinical research.

[elleng]

2. Thanks, Manny.

[justhanginon]

3. A friend of mine had what I think are the same choices.

I'm not sure if it is radiation therapy but he opted for the procedure where they implant a whole lot of tiny, I assume radioactive, seeds in the affected area. He was told that the burning sensation when urinating would last around three months. It has been about two years and he says it still burns. He said he would now opt for the surgery. I don't know if his situation was an aberration or not and it is admittedly second hand info but you might find this problem worth checking into.
I wish your friend well whatever he decides..

[elleng]

4. Thanks, justhanginon.

My friend saw urologist today, who's just diagnosed him, with a 'moderately-aggressive' cancer, and provided him with options of surgery or radiation. This doc is a surgeon, and clearly said we need to discuss with radiation specialist. As my friend seems to think surgery isn't what he wants we discussed some radiation issues, which require seeing a radiation oncologist.

I'd heard something about the 'seeds,' too, so I guess we'll discuss effects of those with that specialist. GOOD to know of your friend's side-effects. Doc we spoke with talked about daily 8 weeks of radiation treatment, the 'beam' I think is what he had in mind. In the past, after my husband was treated with surgery and radiation for head/neck cancer, his long-term side effects ended up being life-threatening, imo, so my 'rule' now is to thoroughly examine side effects.

[phylny]

5. My husband had prostate cancer, with no choice but to have surgery.

He has impotence and bladder control problems. I know if he was offered the chance, he would have opted for radiation.

I had radiation after my lumpectomy (5x/week for 5 weeks) and it got rough there toward the end, with very red skin, but the side effects for me were minimal, to include the redness and being tired, again toward the end of the treatment.

I'm sure the radiation oncologist will give you good information. Mine did

[elleng]

6. Thanks, phyl.