Dealing with side effects of pelvic radiotherapy

Side effects will vary depending on the type of cancer you have been treated for and the way the radiotherapy has been given. Side effects may be worse if you’ve had another treatment at the same time as radiotherapy, such as chemotherapy|. Your cancer doctor, specialist nurse or radiographer can give you more detailed information about potential side effects.

Most men will have some side effects during treatment|. Often, these will disappear over a few weeks or months once the treatment has ended.

For some men, one or more of the side effects mentioned in this section may never go away after treatment and may become long-term problems.

Sometimes, side effects which start during radiotherapy get better after the treatment finishes but then problems may start to occur many months or even years later.

It’s important to let your cancer specialist know if the side effects of your radiotherapy have not got better a few weeks after the treatment has ended or if they get worse. It’s also important to let them know if you get new side effects.

A lot of men will have some change in the way that their bladder| or bowel |works.

Some men may have erection difficulties (impotence) and changes in the physical and emotional feelings associated with sex. The impact of these side effects varies from person to person.

• For some men the effects may be very minor and won't affect their daily life.
• However, some men may need to make some changes to their life to be able to deal with the effects.
• For a small proportion of men the changes may be difficult to cope with. The changes can mean that they have to restrict their activities, reduce or give up work, and avoid socialising because of needing to stay close to a toilet.

What can be done? Back to top

Your cancer specialist or GP may be able to help you themselves. Or they can also refer you to a doctor or who specialises in treating long-term side effects of radiotherapy. These doctors are not in every hospital, so you may need to travel to see one.

The effects of pelvic radiotherapy may be difficult to talk about. It can be embarrassing to say that you have problems with your bowel, bladder or sex life. However, doctors and specialist nurses are used to discussing intimate problems. If you can tell them exactly what is happening to you, they will be in the best position to help. Your doctor or nurse can refer you to a continence adviser or relationship and sexual therapist if needed. The Bladder & Bowel Foundation| can put you in touch with a local continence adviser.

If you do have some side effects, there may be a lot of things that can help you cope with them so that you can live life as fully as possible.

Worries about side effects Back to top

It can be frightening if you start to get new side effects or if they get worse some time after the treatment has finished. You may worry that the cancer has come back. Some of the long-term effects of radiotherapy can be the same as symptoms of the cancer coming back or they can be due to a completely unrelated condition.

The risk of the cancer coming back varies according to the type and stage of cancer you had. Your cancer specialist is the best person to talk to about this as they are familiar with your situation. They can discuss whether your problems are due to the effects of the radiotherapy treatment, whether the cancer could have come back, or whether the symptoms you have could be due to another condition.

Where we can, we have included a rough guide about how common each radiotherapy side effect is. This is to give you an idea of whether a symptom is likely to be due to the treatment or the cancer. If necessary, your specialist can arrange for you to have tests to find out what is causing your symptoms.

What symptoms should I be concerned about?

• a continuing pain that doesn’t go away with your usual painkillers
• lumps, bumps or swellings
• diarrhoea, constipation or loss of appetite
• unexplained weight loss or weight gain
• bleeding from the bladder (in the urine) or back passage
• any other unusual problems that continue for more than a couple of weeks.

Who should I contact if I am worried?

You can contact:

• your cancer doctor
• your specialist nurse
• your hospital clinic to make an earlier appointment
• your GP (who can refer you to a specialist if necessary).

If you are very worried it may help to talk about your concerns with someone who isn’t directly involved in your care. You could ask your GP, hospital consultant or the radiotherapy department to refer you to a doctor or counsellor who specialises in helping people deal with the emotional issues of cancer.  You can also contact the Cancer Counselling Trust|.

Our cancer support specialists can give you information on how to find support in your area. You can also find details of useful organisations| that offer help and support.