Side Effects Of External Radiation For Prostate Cancer

External radiation or external beam radiation is the most common type of radiation therapy used for cancer treatment.

Side effects of external radiation for prostate cancer.

Short term side effects. Radiation technology allows the very careful delivery of external beam radiation therapy. The side effects of external beam radiation therapy tend to be less severe than the side effects of other prostate cancer treatments. External beam radiation and.

External beam radiation for prostate cancer kills cancer cells by destroying the genetic material that controls how cells grow and divide. Prostatectomy which is the surgical removal of the prostate. Healthy cells in the beam s path also are affected by external beam radiation therapy resulting in side effects. The 619 men with unfavorable risk prostate cancer received one of two treatments.

Short term side effects are ones that start during or shortly after your radiation treatment. Doctors will often use external radiation therapy for prostate cancer patients who want to avoid the risks of surgery. However these radiotherapy side effects are less common and occur only when the radiation damages your body. Patients who receive any type of radiation therapy external beam or brachytherapy to treat their prostate cancer can have side effects.

A machine is used to aim high energy rays or beams from outside the body into the tumor. When it comes to prostate cancer there are two kinds of radiation treatment. Long term side effects of radiation therapy for prostate cancer studies show that over time men who have undergone this procedure tend to develop long term side effects. Radiation therapy has long been a staple of treatment for many types of cancers.

Webmd explains the use of radiation therapy for prostate cancer including internal and external radiation therapy how radiation therapy is performed side effects risks and more.