Evaluation of Health Outcomes in Iraqi Patients With Prostate Cancer Who Underwent Radiotherapy

Prostate cancer is common globally, with great strain on patient-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to assess general health quality of life in prostate cancer patients after radiotherapy treatment. A study was conducted on 80 prostate cancer patients who underwent radiotherapy at different hospitals in Karbala, Iraq, during a one-year follow-up period between February 2023 and February 2024. Demographic and surgical data were recorded for prostate cancer patients during the follow-up period. This study assessed patients' quality of life after completing radiotherapy, with all patients completing this quality of life questionnaire—a total of patients with prostate cancer (80) data enrolled in our study. The most symptoms were correlated with PC severity, include Urinary difficulties (85%) and fatigue (77.5%). Post RT procedure, short-term complications were 32.5%, where urinary incontinence with 11.25% and erectile dysfunction with 16.25%, while long-term complications were 40%, where included persistent erectile dysfunction got 25%. In the assessment of the quality of life, we found improving in physical functioning with 81.1 ± 6.6, diarrhea with 74.6 ± 12.5, and pain with 83.3 ± 6.2, while impaired in sexual functioning with 56.5 ± 4.8. This study demonstrates that patients with prostate cancer undergoing radiotherapy experience enhanced general well-being and improved quality of life. However, concurrent findings indicate a decline in sexual function.