| Despite the precautions taken to give the | | | | prostate gland and this can irritate the bowel and |
| radiotherapy as accurately as possible there will | | | | cause diarrhoea, it can usually be well controlled by |
| always be some side effects associated with | | | | medicationd. Cystitis a burning feeling when you pass |
| radiotherapy to the prostate gland even with best | | | | water is due to irritation of the bladder by the X-rays |
| treatment. This is partly because to reach the | | | | on their way to the prostate glande. Piles these can |
| prostate gland from the outside the X-rays have to | | | | often flare up during treatmentf. Loss of Hair you |
| pass through normal tissues (bladder, bowel, skin) and | | | | may lose some of your pubic hair where the x-rays |
| partly because an area around the prostate gland | | | | pass through the skin but this normally grows back |
| needs to be treated in case the prostate is in a | | | | after treatment finishes, the hair on you head will not |
| slightly different position each day (e.g. because the | | | | be affectedg. Impotence radiotherapy may make it |
| bladder is filled to a different extent) and because it | | | | difficult for you to have or maintain an erection |
| can treat any cancer cells which are trying to invade | | | | LATE SIDE EFFECTS |
| out of the prostate gland itself. | | | | In a small number of patients permanent damage to |
| EARLY SIDE EFFECTSa. Tiredness and Fatigue most | | | | bowel or bladder may occur and can sometimes |
| patients receiving radiotherapy will feel tired especially | | | | require treatment. In some men the impotence fails |
| towards the end of treatment.b. Skin reaction this is | | | | to recover. |
| usually very mild with prostate cancer treatment and | | | | While there are forms of alternative prostate cancer |
| may be a slight pinking of the skin or sometimes a | | | | treatment, the above are considered to be the |
| sore back passagec. Diarrhoea the x-rays will have to | | | | proven techniques and procedures. |
| pass through some of your bowel to reach the | | | | |