What follow-up after prostate radiotherapy?

SHORT VERSION

A follow-up at 6 months from the end of the treatments and then an annual follow-up alternating between the radiotherapist oncologist, the urologist (prostate surgeon) and the general practitioner will be set up. These follow-ups will be spread over several years and aim to :

evaluate the tolerance of the treatment and monitor the appearance of late complications. If hormone therapy is prescribed, assess the patient’s tolerance of this treatment;
look for any tumour recurrence.

No imaging tests are recommended in the absence of symptoms.

Patients who underwent prostate radiation therapy are followed alternately by the radiation oncologist, urologist, and general practitioner. After radiation therapy, the objective of the follow-up is: to evaluate the treatment tolerance, i.e. to monitor the occurrence of late side effects related to the locoregional treatment (surgery and/or radiotherapy); to detect the first signs of tumor recurrence.. This requires regular PSA monitoring, which is performed every 6 months at the beginning, and then every year. No imaging exam is recommended in the absence of symptoms. If hormone therapy was prescribed, the tolerance of this treatment also should be assessed (clinical examination and laboratory tests).