Side Effects After Prostate Radiation Therapy

Erectile dysfunction or dry orgasm can occur after radiation therapy.

Side effects after prostate radiation therapy. This helps minimize side effects of external beam radiation treatment. The risk of long term problems after radiation therapy is very low less than 5 percent. For some men medications or other treatments can help. These may include proctitis rectal inflammation cystitis bladder inflammation urinary or rectal bleeding narrowing of the rectum or urethra chronic diarrhea or urinary frequency or urgency or development of an ulcer in the rectum.

Some of the potential late effects of radiation to the prostate include. Potential side effects of external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer may include. Talk to your oncology team about sperm banking if you wish to have a child in the future. Most men will be sterile after radiation treatment for prostate cancer.

Radiation therapy also called x ray therapy uses high levels of radiation to kill prostate cancer cells or keep them from growing and dividing while minimizing damage to healthy cells. Radiation therapy can irritate the rectum. Bowel problems are one possibility.