Late rectal symptoms and quality of life after conformal radiation therapy for prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This study was carried out in order to analyze the prevalence of late rectal and anal symptoms after conformal radiation therapy for prostate cancer and to assess their association with quality of life.


METHODS
Two-hundred and forty nine patients were interviewed at 24-111 months after definitive conformal radiation therapy of localized prostate cancer with a median dose of 70 Gy. Rectal symptoms and fecal incontinence were evaluated with standardized questionnaires. Quality of life was assessed with the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 and the prostate cancer module PR25.


RESULTS
Rectal symptoms were mostly intermittent. Daily symptoms occurred in < or =5% of the patients. Incontinence was mostly mild with only 3% of the patients reporting daily incontinence episodes. Quality of life was comparable to that of the male German general population except that cognitive functioning and diarrhea were worse in the study population and pain was worse in the reference population. Global quality of life was associated with fecal incontinence, fecal urge, tenesmus, therapy for rectal symptoms and hormonal therapy for biochemical/clinical recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
Rectal symptoms and fecal incontinence after conformal radiation therapy for prostate cancer are mostly intermittent. Fecal incontinence, fecal urge and tenesmus are associated with lower global quality of life levels.
Geinitz
Hans
H
Department of Radiation Oncology, Technical University Munich, Germany. hans.geinitz@lrz.tu-muenchen.de
Zimmermann
Frank B
FB
Thamm
Reinhard
R
Erber
Caroline
C
Müller
Tobias
T
Keller
Monika
M
Busch
Raymonde
R
Molls
Michael
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005242:Fecal Incontinence; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012016:Reference Values; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires