West LA Times

A study led by researchers from the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has found that men undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer who experience early side effects may face a higher risk of long-term urinary and bowel health issues. The findings, published in Lancet Oncology, suggest that those with moderate acute urinary side effects within the first three months post-radiation are nearly twice as likely to develop late complications years later.

"Men with prostate cancer are living longer than ever, and our goal is to reduce the risk of late toxicities," stated Dr. Amar Kishan, executive vice chair of radiation oncology at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine and senior author of the study. The research indicates innovations such as using smaller treatment margins could minimize early side effects and subsequently reduce long-term complications.

Radiation therapy is commonly used for localized prostate cancer but can harm nearby healthy tissues, leading to both acute and late-term side effects. Acute toxicity occurs during or shortly after treatment, often manifesting as increased urination frequency or discomfort. Late toxicity can appear much later and last for years, potentially impacting quality of life more significantly.

The study analyzed data from over 6,500 patients across six randomized phase 3 trials to explore the connection between early and late toxicities—a relationship not well-studied on a large scale until now. "These results show that acute toxicities following prostate radiotherapy are associated with late toxicities months and years later," noted Dr. John Nikitas, first author of the study.

Kishan highlighted potential newer techniques like MRI-guided radiation and urethral-sparing methods as promising strategies to lower lasting side effects. However, further studies are needed to confirm if reducing early side effects will improve long-term outcomes.

The research received support from grants by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense.