Know Your Options.

Radiation

Radiation therapy, another treatment option, uses very strong X-rays to kill the cancer cells. It can be used as a treatment alone or in combination with other treatments.

There are two ways to deliver radiation treatment. First, X-ray beams can be aimed directly at the prostate cancer cells from an external machine.

Second, you can have tiny radiation seeds the size of grains of rice injected into your prostate which will release constant, low amounts of radiation to kill your cancer cells. The radiation will still kill some healthy cells in that area of your body. This may cause temporary or permanent side effects like diarrhea, a burning feeling in your bladder, difficulty holding your urine, frequent urination, or inability to have an erection. The loss of ability to have an erection will develop gradually over one or more years after the radiation, if you experience this side effect. Except for problems with erections, most of the side effects usually last only about 2 weeks after you stop radiation.