Patient-reported sexual toxicity after radiation therapy in long-term prostate cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND: To present an overview of patient-reported sexual toxicity in sexually active long-term prostate cancer survivors treated with radiation therapy. METHODS: We used patient-reported outcomes from a study-specific questionnaire surveying symptoms after prostate cancer radiation therapy. Data from 518 men treated at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Sweden from 1993 to 2006 were analysed. The men had undergone primary or salvage external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) or EBRT combined with high-dose rate brachytherapy (BT). We also used information from 155 non-treated reference men from the general population with no history of prostate cancer, matched for age and residency. RESULTS: Median time from treatment to follow-up was 5 years (range: 1-14 years). Among the 16 investigated symptoms on erectile function, libido, orgasm, and seminal fluid, 9 symptoms in the primary EBRT group and 10 in both the salvage EBRT and the EBRT+BT groups were statistically significantly more prevalent in survivors than in reference men. Erectile dysfunction was influenced by both age and time to follow-up, whereas symptoms relating to orgasm and seminal fluid were influenced by time to follow-up only. Not being sexually active was almost one and a half times as common in survivors as in reference men. CONCLUSIONS: The presented symptom profiles can help to develop personalized therapy for prostate cancer through a better understanding of which radiation-induced toxicities to be addressed in the clinic and can also assist in identifying suitable interventions for existing symptoms.

Perception of body odor-an overlooked consequence of long-term gastrointestinal and urinary symptoms after radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the association of long-term gastrointestinal and urinary symptoms with perceived fecal or urine body odor after radiation therapy for prostate cancer and its effect on survivors' quality of life. METHODS: We used a study-specific questionnaire to measure the occurrence of long-term gastrointestinal and urinary symptoms, the perception of fecal or urine body odor, and quality of life (QoL) 2 to 14 years after radiation therapy for prostate cancer. The questionnaire was sent to 895 eligible survivors who assessed symptom occurrence and QoL in the previous 6 months. RESULTS: We received a filled-in questionnaire from 874 (89 %) men. For the long-term gastrointestinal symptoms, 11/13 were associated with the perception of fecal body odor. For the long-term urinary symptoms, 11/11 were associated with the perception of urine body odor. Men who perceived fecal or urine body odor had a lower quality of life, a lower physical health, and more frequent feelings of depression compared with those who did perceive such body odor. CONCLUSION: Long-term gastrointestinal and urinary symptoms after prostate irradiation are associated with the perception of fecal or urine body odor leading to a reduced quality of life. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Disabling body odor after pelvic irradiation needs to be acknowledged in the clinic. Interventions to prevent long-term symptoms may serve the benefit of avoiding fecal or urine body odor after radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Patient-reported genitourinary toxicity for long-term prostate cancer survivors treated with radiation therapy.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to provide comprehensive overviews of patient-reported urinary symptoms for long-term prostate cancer survivors treated with radiation therapy and for untreated, healthy men. METHODS: We performed a population-based cross-sectional study using a study-specific postal questionnaire assessing symptoms among 1007 men consecutively treated at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden from 1993-2006 (primary or salvage external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) or EBRT and high-dose rate brachytherapy). We also randomly recruited 350 non-pelvic-irradiated matched control men from the Swedish Total Population Register. Symptom prevalence and prevalence ratios were computed. RESULTS: Survey participation rate was 89% (874/985) for eligible survivors and 73% (243/332) for eligible controls. Median time from treatment to follow-up was 5 years (range, 1-14 years). Among the 21 investigated symptoms reflecting obstruction, frequency, urgency, pain and incontinence, we found significantly higher prevalence compared with controls for 9 symptoms in the EBRT group, 10 in the EBRT+brachytherapy group and 5 in the salvage EBRT group. The prevalence for a majority of the symptoms was stable over time. CONCLUSION: The presented toxicity profiles provide a thorough understanding of patient-reported urinary symptoms that can assist in developing personalised therapy for prostate cancer.