Radiation therapy is one of the most common types of treatment available to prostate cancer patients. It can be used in several different ways, one of which is to destroy the cancer cells inside the prostate so it does not have to be surgically removed.
Radiation therapy is best for men with prostate cancer that has not grown outside of the prostate “capsule.” It also may be used after surgery to destroy any cancer cells that remain in the area. In later stages of prostate cancer, radiation treatment may be used to help relieve pain.
The oncologist will determine the stage and grade of the cancer to determine which types of treatments are likely to work best. The radiation oncologist often leads the treatment team for prostate cancer patients since radiation is such an important part of the treatment. However, they also work closely with medical oncologists and urologists who are managing a patient’s prostate cancer treatment plan.
Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is one of the most effective treatments because it targets prostate cancer cells only in the treated area. This helps preserve more of the surrounding healthy tissue, including other organs such as the rectum and bladder. There are two categories of radiation therapy to treat prostate cancer:
External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send high-energy beams toward the area of the body with cancer. Treatment is typically administered five days a week for a period of 6-8 weeks. Many men receive 3-dimensional (3-D) conformal radiation therapy, which uses a computer to shape the radiation beams to fit the tumor. This makes it possible to target the cancer more closely while lessening the damage to healthy tissue near the prostate.
You will lie down under the linear accelerator for just a few moments at each visit and placed precisely in the same place each time. The actual radiation therapy treatments take only a few minutes. A radiation therapy visit is often only 15-20 minutes in length.
Prostate brachytherapy is a type of internal radiation therapy in which seeds, ribbons, or capsules that contain a radiation source are placed in the prostate gland. It can be used as a stand alone treatment or in combination with external beam radiation therapy.
Most brachytherapy is put in place through a catheter, which is a small, stretchy tube. Sometimes, brachytherapy is put in place through a larger device called an applicator. Your oncologist will place the catheter or applicator into your body before you begin treatment.
Once the catheter or applicator is in place, the radiation source is placed inside it. The dose intensity and how long the radiation source stays in place depends on whether it’s high-dose or low-dose brachytherapy
HDR prostate brachytherapy involves placing radioactive sources in your body for several (about 10 to 20) minutes at a time. Before receiving HDR brachytherapy treatments, thin tubes are inserted through the perineum and into your prostate at precise locations. After treatment, the tubes are removed. You may have treatment twice a day for 2 to 5 days or once a week for 2 to 5 weeks. This type of brachytherapy for prostate cancer has been more recently introduced.
LDR prostate brachytherapy involves placing radioactive sources in the prostate permanently. This process has been available for many years and is proven to be successful. During a short procedure, radioactive seeds are implanted into the prostate gland using ultrasound guidance. The implants remain in your body and slowly break down over time. LDR brachytherapy is also known as permanent interstitial prostate seed implants.
While care is taken to minimize damage to other areas of the body, there can be some side effects of radiation therapy. While not every patient experiences these side effects some men experience bowel issues such as diarrhea, impotence and problems urinating after radiation for prostate cancer. These may not be permanent. Talk to your oncologist about any side effects you’re experiencing during or after prostate cancer treatment.
You have a choice where you receive radiation therapy. NorthMain Radiation Oncology offers patients the latest radiation therapies for cancer treatment close to home. Since you may visit the radiation therapy clinic often, it's important to choose not only a radiation oncologist you trust but also a convenient location. If you live in the Providence area and are seeking radiation therapy for prostate cancer treatment, click the button below to request an appointment.
