The advantages and disadvantages of radiotherapy will depend on your age, health and the stage of your cancer. Your specialist team will discuss your individual situation and options with you.

Advantages

• It has none of the risks of surgery associated with having a general anaesthetic.
• It is painless.

• It is relatively quick. Daily treatment sessions last about 20 minutes, and you do not need to stay in hospital overnight.

• You can carry on with many of your usual activities while you are having treatment.

Disadvantages

• You will need to go to hospital for treatment five days a week for several weeks.

• There is a risk of side effects which could affect your quality of life such as bowel problems, urinary problems and erection problems.

• It may be some time before you will know whether the treatment has been successful. Read more about how your specialist team will monitor how well it has worked.

Before you start radiotherapy, you will have some scans so that your specialist team can plan the treatment. You may be given hormone therapy for three to six months before you begin radiotherapy. This shrinks the prostate and makes the cancer easier to treat. Some men will continue to take hormone therapy during and after their treatment.

You will have one treatment (known as a fraction) every day from Monday to Friday, with a rest over the weekend. Treatment normally lasts about eight weeks.

At each session, you will lie on the treatment machine which will then move round you to deliver the radiotherapy. The machine does not touch you and you should not feel anything. You will need to keep still but the treatment only lasts a few minutes. You will have regular scans to check that the radiotherapy is given to the correct area.

Your PSA level will be checked six to twelve weeks after your treatment has finished. It will then be checked at least every six months for two years, and at least once a year after that. This is to monitor how well the radiotherapy has worked. If the treatment is successful your PSA should drop.

You can read more about radiotherapy in our Tool Kit fact sheet online.

Many men will get side effects during their treatment which only last a few weeks or months. However, some side effects can develop later and can become long term problems.

Possible side effects include bowel problems, urinary problems, tiredness and skin irritation. Longer term problems can include sexual problems and infertility. There is a small chance of other cancers developing, but this is very rare.

Side effects can often be treated, so if you have any unusual symptoms after having radiotherapy, ask your specialist team about it.

• How many radiotherapy sessions will I have?
• Will I have hormone treatment? Will this continue after the radiotherapy?
• What side effects might I get? Will these be temporary or permanent?
• Will I be able to continue as normal during the treatment (go to work etc)
• How will we know how successful the treatment has been?
• If the radiotherapy is not successful, which other treatments can I have?
• Who should I contact if I have any questions at any point during my treatment?