His PSA has risen from 0.40 in February of 1996 to 6.99 in August of 1999. Now the doctor is suggesting radiation treatment, but my grandfather is 90 years old already. Could you please tell me what possible side effects radiation treatment may have on a 90 year old man, and would you have an opinion as to whether radiation treatment at this point would be more beneficial or detrimental. Thank you very much. In general, radiation therapy for prostate cancer is well tolerated.
Radiation treatment can also cause skin reaction in the treatment area.
For patients with existing gastrointestinal and genitourinary disease, diabetes, hypertension, and collagen-vascular disease, the complications can be worse. In general, older patients do tend to have lower tolerance to radiation than younger ones. Without a detailed history and examination of your grandfather, it is impossible to make treatment recommendations. Radiation treatment may offer local control of tumor or relief of pain, but does not have an impact on disease beyond the treatment fields. These agents have been studied in patients who failed primary hormonal therapy.