This study was conducted at seven medical centers throughout the country and involved 773 men. These initial findings have since been confirmed through a follow-up study of 214 consecutively screened volunteers, Dr. Catalona says. Dr. Catalona believes that physicians should use the standard PSA test for initial prostate cancer screening and use the new test for patients with a PSA level between 4 and 10. Although physicians plan treatment modalities carefully, it can be difficult to administer the most effective treatment so that only the cancerous cells are eliminated or destroyed, while minimizing the side effects. Because treatment can damage healthy cells and tissues, it often causes unwanted, and sometimes serious side effects.
Side effects depend highly on the type and extent of the treatment as well as the patient's age.
A recent report in the Journal of Clinical Oncology suggests there may be higher complication rates than previously thought. Some of the most common side effects include urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction after a radical prostatectomy, and bowel complications after radiation treatment. Dr. James Talcott of Massachusetts General Hospital and researchers from other Boston centers followed the post-treatment progression in 279 men. One-hundred thirty five had undergone radiation therapy, and 125 underwent a radical prostatectomy. Patients progress was measured at 3 and 12 months after receiving their treatment.