Re side affects of radiotherapy

So sorry you have been through so much. I’m not in a position to comment but wanted to send a hug … 

I had radiotherapy (20 sessions) and passed some blood 3 years later. After talking to the hospital and going as they suggested  to my GP I was given the test kit that I used 3 weeks later and it showed blood still present. I was then booked for a colonoscopy and all they could see was some signs of radiation proctitis that was February last year and no treatment was offered. I've been OK since then.

I had RT in June 2017 and lost some blood. Had a colonoscopy and they found a huge polyp - unrelated to prostate cancer.

BTW, 5 years later I have metastatic pc in bones and lymph. Also just failed a bowel screen so steadying myself for a further intrusion of the box Brownie. Stay positive y’all xx

neil

Hi Villa, sounds like we are going through similar circumstances. I too was diagnosed stage 4 PC in mar 2018 6 chemotherapy followed by 37 radiotherapy and like you have radiation parotitis. Have to say things improved following the colonoscopy I had with little blood passed since. Hope your situation improves!

Hello Villa1,

I experienced significant rectal bleeding, later diagnosed as radiation proctitis, after radiotherapy which itself followed surgery. It began about 14 months after the radiotherapy ended. 

I was referred for a colonoscopy during which the APC treatment was administered. (APC is short for "argon plasma coagulation" which means they zap the offending blood vessels to cauterise them.) As I had chosen to have sedation I was semi-conscious for the whole procedure and I didn't really feel anything, and there was no noticeable discomfort afterwards. It took another couple of weeks for the bleeding to stop completely but now things are generally pretty good, though I have been warned that the proctitis may recur.

The worst thing was the bowel emptying medication you need to take the day before the colonoscopy....

All the best

Angus (not my real name)

I started to get rectal bleeding 5 months after radiotherapy. It is minor and not painful and didn't cause any incontinence. This was during peak COVID, and because I'd had a clear sigmoidoscopy bowel screening only a year beforehand, they decided it couldn't be bowel cancer that soon after a clear screening, so things got left. After a couple of years, it was checked and radiation proctitis was diagnosed. I was told it didn't need treating unless I wanted to. I was given some rectal foam steroid to try, which I have and it's made no difference. I still have a couple more goes of that to try, which I will. Each go is daily for a week, and then stop for a while and see if things improve. It's been going on for 3 years now, but doesn't have any impact on my quality of life. I will mention it again at next consultation. I think my main concern is that if I did get bowel cancer, I wouldn't actually notice it. I would be interested to know if the APC treatment works, and carries any risks.