Topics:
Radiation Oncology • Genitourinary Cancers
Would you ever discourage salvage prostate XRT given a patient's lower urinary tract symptoms?
Assume a patient has both obstructive and incontinent symptoms. Is there anything to do about the expected and subsequent worsening of their urinary function? If they obstruct on treatment, how long after treatment do you recommend voiding trial?
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
If the patient has post-op obstructive symptoms, it's possible the patient may have a bladder neck contracture. They might benefit from a urologic evaluation with cystoscopy which might address the issue. I would try to have that done prior to salvage RT. It is conceivably possible that th...
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Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Community Practice
My short answer to the main question is no - if the patient has recurrent cancer, he should be offered the chance for cure. However, the patient also needs to be fully informed of the likely acute and potential long-term side effects of such treatment. Continence continues to recover after PORT but ...