What Are Risks for Second Cancers After Prostate Radiotherapy?

The risk for second cancers is well recognized in patients who receive therapeutic radiation for Hodgkin lymphoma, breast cancer, and testicular cancer. But whether this risk is also increased in patients who receive radiotherapy for prostate cancer is unclear.

To determine the potential association between prostate radiotherapy and subsequent second cancers, investigators conducted a meta-analysis of 18 large multicenter studies and 3 single-center studies involving prostate cancer patients who received radiotherapy (mostly conformal external beam radiotherapy) versus surgery (in 13 studies) or versus either no radiotherapy or no radiotherapy and no surgery (in 8 studies). The primary outcome was development of secondary bladder, colorectal…