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External beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer: Pros and cons
By Mayo Clinic staffExternal beam radiation may be an effective way to treat early-stage prostate cancer. Consider the following pros and cons of this method before making your decision:
| Pros of external beam radiation | Cons of external beam radiation |
|---|---|
| It's as effective as surgery over a 10-year period. | It usually needs to be done five days a week for seven to nine weeks. |
| It's done on an outpatient basis, and usually doesn't cause as much discomfort or require as much recovery time as surgery. | It can have a delayed but long-term effect on your sexual function. |
| It's a noninvasive treatment. Advances in treatment technology such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) help to minimize side effects of treatment. | It commonly causes urinary symptoms such as frequency and urgency. Rarely, it can cause urinary leakage. |
| It's designed to decrease exposure of normal tissues to radiation. | It can result in bowel problems such as rectal bleeding and urgency that are worse than those caused by seed-implant therapy or surgery. |
| It has no anesthesia risks. | It may cause a temporary decrease in energy levels and appetite. |
| It can damage healthy tissue in areas near your prostate. Rarely, radiation can lead to bladder or rectum injuries that require surgery to repair. | |
| The decline in PSA after treatment is slow, and PSA test results sometimes may fluctuate after treatment. This makes it more difficult for your doctor to determine the status of the tumor following radiation. |
