"With modern radiotherapy and the continuous improvements in treatment techniques, the present study rejects the notion that the use of radiation treatment after prostatectomy may have a negative impact in the patient's quality of life pertaining to sexual, urinary, or bowel function," said the researchers in a statement.

"In those patients choosing surgery as their initial treatment for localized prostate cancer, and that at some point require consideration for adjuvant or salvage radiotherapy (e.g. In the first case due to disease extending beyond the prostate, positive surgical margins, high-grade disease; in the latter case due to a rising post-prostatectomy PSA); the fear of adverse effects should not preclude the recommendation and/or acceptance for this treatment," said Berlin.


"This is relevant, as current literature suggests that only 10-15 percent of patients with indications for post-prostatectomy adjuvant RT actually receive it (whether due to physicians or patients concerns is not clear)," he continued.

The study has been published in the September-October issue of Practical Radiation Oncology (PRO), a journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

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