Interseting article from John's Hopkins

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Quality of Life After Cancer Treatment:
What the Research Shows

Treatments for localized prostate cancer have the potential to decrease a man's quality of life. But this tends to improve over time, according to a study reported in The Journal of Urology (Volume 183, page 2206).

The study included 1,269 men who underwent treatment for clinically localized prostate cancer. The treatments used were radical prostatectomy, external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy, combined external beam radiotherapy/brachytherapy, or androgen-deprivation therapy. Questionnaires were used to assess health-related quality of life after prostate treatment.

The researchers found that all treatments worsened urinary bother, sexual function, and sexual bother. Men who underwent radical prostatectomy had the most pronounced worsening of urinary function at first, but they also had the greatest recovery. All types of radiation therapy worsened bowel function and bother, but the men were back to where they were initially after four years of follow-up.

Bottom line: If you undergo any treatment for prostate cancer, expect to experience problems with urinary and sexual function initially. The good news is that these problems will generally improve within the first two years after prostate treatment. But don't wait for two years to see if the side effects go away. Talk to your doctor early on. A variety of therapeutic options are available to help you manage these side effects.



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