The Particulars: Studies have shown that the10-year survival rates are high for men with prostate cancer, but these individuals may be at risk for second primary malignancies after initially being treated for localized disease. Few studies have assessed the risk for a second primary malignancy following treatment for localized prostate cancer.
Data Breakdown: For a study, researchers in Michigan estimated the risk of a second primary malignancy based on the incidence in the general population. The authors based this data according to whether or not men received external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) as their initial treatment for prostate cancer. Men treated with EBRT were significantly more likely than the general population to be diagnosed with rectal and bladder cancer when compared with men who were not treated with radiation. Both groups had a lower overall risk of a second primary malignancy and second solid tumors, but the magnitude of this reduction was less among those who underwent EBRT.
Take Home Pearls: Men who undergo EBRT for localized prostate cancer appear to have a significantly higher risk of late diagnoses of bladder and rectal cancer than the general population when compared with counterparts who do not undergo radiation therapy.
