A recent study revealed that the treatment choice made by men with prostate cancer may affect the type of complications they experience and their risk of death in the years following treatment.
Hot Topics
About half of Libyans drink contaminated water What is the scientific reason?
Mauritania's blue treasure is in danger Will the map of fish in the Atlantic be redrawn?
The Citrus Secret Everyone's Talking About: Burn More, Crave Less & Feel Great Naturally
The researchers noted that those who received radiation therapy were more prone to certain urinary problems and to death from any cause, while those who underwent prostatectomy experienced higher rates of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.
Surgery and radiation therapy are among the most prominent treatment options available for men diagnosed with prostate cancer in its early stages before it spreads outside the gland. Surgery involves removing the prostate, while radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to target cancer cells without surgical intervention.
Researchers at the State University of New York analyzed the medical records of more than 20,000 men who received one of the two treatments, and followed their cases for about five years.
The results showed that 29% of the men who underwent surgery developed urinary incontinence, compared to 6% of those who received radiation therapy, and about a third of the men in the surgery group suffered from erectile dysfunction.
In contrast, men who received radiation therapy were more prone to urinary retention, cystitis, and blood in the urine.
The study also recorded higher mortality rates from any cause among those who received radiation therapy, with about 8% of them dying during the follow-up period, compared to 6.5% of those who underwent surgery. Radiation therapy was associated with a 45% increase in the mortality rate from any cause.
However, the researchers stressed that this result does not prove that radiation therapy caused the increase in deaths, because the study was observational and did not identify the causes of death.
Dr. Jeffrey Weiss, professor of urology and lead author of the study, said that both treatments can affect urinary and sexual functions, stressing the importance of discussing the risks, benefits, and side effects of each option with the patient before making a decision.
The researchers noted the need for further studies to understand the long-term effects of different treatments, particularly survival rates and recurrence of prostate cancer.
what is your opinion on this news ?do let us know in the comments on tha comment box
if you liked this news article please share on friends & family & don't forget to follow on website & social media
