Study Finds Prostate Cancer Treatments Pose Significant Long-Term Risks
A new study has found that medical guidelines lack sufficient information on the risks associated with common prostate cancer treatments, making it challenging for patients to make well-informed decisions.
The study, published in JAMA Oncology, uncovered long-term risks linked to popular prostate cancer treatments after analyzing data from nearly 52,000 men. Those who underwent prostatectomy, the surgical removal of all or part of the prostate, faced a more than sevenfold increase in the risk of urinary and sexual complications over 12 years compared to untreated men.
These complications include urinary tract infections, loss of bladder control, erectile dysfunction, and narrowing of the urethra or the neck of the bladder.
Patients receiving radiotherapy also experienced a nearly threefold increased risk of these side effects and a tripled likelihood of developing bladder cancer.
Prostate Removal Raises Risk of Complications by 6-Fold
The study highlighted that individuals who underwent prostatectomy were more than six times likely to face at least one complication compared to untreated participants. Similarly, those treated with radiotherapy had a threefold increased risk of complications over 12 years.
“This study challenges physicians to provide patients with this critical information before recommending a PSA test,” stated senior author Dr. Ian M. Thompson Jr. of Christus Santa Rosa Health System and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in a press statement.
Lead author Joseph Unger, an associate professor at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, emphasized the significance of addressing past limitations in studies, such as small sample sizes, limited follow-up periods, or inadequate control groups.
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The analysis by the SWOG Cancer Research Network stresses the importance of informing patients about these risks before undergoing a PSA test. They assert that making well-informed treatment decisions necessitates a thorough understanding of the potential risks and benefits associated with screening and subsequent interventions, including biopsies and various treatments for diagnosed prostate cancer.
One of the challenges in assessing the risks of adverse treatment effects is the increased incidence of age-related issues like erectile dysfunction, making accurate risk determination challenging without comparing treated men with similarly aged untreated men in the general population.
Increased Risks Associated With Surgical Treatment
The study also examined men who opted for active surveillance instead of immediate treatment after a prostate cancer diagnosis to assess the incidence of potential treatment-related complications like urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and bladder cancer.
Given the uncertain benefits of prostate cancer treatment for many patients, the researchers emphasize the need for patient counseling on screening and treatment options, advocating for the inclusion of quantitative information on the risks and benefits of prostate cancer treatments in national cancer screening and treatment guidelines.
