Patient-reported gastrointestinal symptoms among long-term survivors after radiation therapy for prostate cancer.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
With modern radiotherapy technology we have the means to substantially reduce late gastrointestinal toxicities after radiation therapy for prostate cancer. However, there is still a lack of knowledge regarding the spectrum of patient-reported gastrointestinal symptoms after such treatment.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional study using a study-specific questionnaire to survey gastrointestinal symptoms 2-14years after prostate cancer radiation therapy. We included 985 men treated between 1994 and 2006 with primary (EBRT) or salvage (POSTOP) external beam radiation therapy or EBRT and high-dose rate brachytherapy (EBRT BT). We also included 350 non-irradiated population-based controls randomly matched 1:3 for age and area of residence.


RESULTS
Survey participation rate was 89% (874/985) for survivors and 73% (243/332) for controls. We found significant increased prevalence ratios for 13/34 symptoms in the primary EBRT group, 10/34 symptoms in the EBRT BT group and 9/34 symptoms in the POSTOP group, several of which have not been described previously. Bother due to these symptoms increased with increasing symptom intensity and was highest for fecal leakage and defecation urgency.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results can be used to inform clinical evaluation and future studies of long-term gastrointestinal toxicity after radiotherapy for prostate cancer.
['Alsadius|David|D|', 'Olsson|Caroline|C|', 'Pettersson|Niclas|N|', 'Tucker|Susan L|SL|', 'Wilderäng|Ulrica|U|', 'Steineck|Gunnar|G|']
D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D001918:Brachytherapy D016022:Case-Control Studies D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms D011832:Radiation Injuries D016879:Salvage Therapy D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D017741:Survivors
Gastrointestinal Radiation therapy Prostate cancer Late toxicity Patient-reported outcomes