Radiation Therapy For Prostate Cancer
Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer is a treatment used when the cancer has been defined as “organ-specific.”
This term describes several factors where the prostate cancer has been found and there is confirmation that the cancer had not moved beyond the prostate or metastasized.
Radiation therapy works to reduce prostate cancer cells and tumors by sending powerful energy rays on the focus area. Success rates have been reported in patients where the cancer has been found in the prostate and nearby areas.
Sometimes radiation therapy maybe used on a patients with advanced prostate cancer to reduce the size of tumors with combined treatments.
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There are two methods of radiation therapy: external beam and internal radiation. External radiation involves several types of treatment: external beam radiation, Three dimensional conformal radiation therapy(3DRCT), Intensity Modulation Therapy(IMRT), and Conformal proton beam radiation therapy. Internal radiation involves brachytherapy.
External beam radiation involves multiple radiation sessions to highlight the area that needs to be treated. Before external beam radiation therapy is performed, the patient goes through several diagnostic testing procedures(x-rays, MRI’ s and CT scans) to make sure the area that the radiation will be transmitted is the correct location of the cancer cells. The cancer team will place ink marks on the patient to designate the focused area of treatment. Treatments usually take about 8 to 9 weeks with the patient going to the treatment for 5 days per week. The positive attributes for external beam radiation therapy are the treatment only takes about 5 minutes and is virtually pain-free.
One of the newest external radiation therapy treatment available now is Three dimensional conformal radiation therapy(3DRCT). 3DRCT involves the use of special computers to highlight the prostate. Once the prostate is highlighted, the patient is placed in what resembles a body cast to prevent the patient from moving during the radiation treatment. Because of the recent introduction of this type of therapy to treat prostate cancer, data is not available for determining if this treatment has beneficial long-term success. However, patients who have received this treatment have been documented to receive short-term benefits so physicians are using this treatment if it is available to them at the cancer treatment facilities.
Another type of external beam radiation therapy is Intensity Modulation Therapy(IMRT). This treatment circulates radiation around the patient in a 3D format.While the machine directs radiation rays all over the body, the cancer team can intensify the rays where the areas of prostate cancer cells have been founds. This procedure is widely used at hospitals and cancer treatment centers.
There is another way to treat prostate cancer with Conformal proton beam radiation therapy. This type of external beam radiation therapy involves the use of a proton beam. Protons are considered positive atoms that do not cause major tissue destruction. Using a proton beam, this type of therapy can be used to destroy more prostate cancer cells without affecting other surrounding tissues. Unfortunately, the expense of the test is not approved by many insurance carriers and the treatment is only offered at several cancer centers throughout the country.
Internal radiation therapy which is called brachytherapy involves two different types of treatment that involves a surgical procedure. The first procedure is called a “permanent(low dose rate) of brachytherapy” which involves embedding radioactive material pellets(iodine-125 or pallidium-123) into the perineum folds so it will go to the prostate. The pellets remain for a few weeks and give off the radioactive material to treat the cancer. Depending on the surgeon, the number of pellets used is different based on the condition of the patient. Although this treatment involves anesthesia, the treatment itself does not cause pain.
Another procedure which involves brachytherapy is “temporary” brachytherapy. Instead of using seeds, the doctor inserts needles filled with iridium-192 through the perineum into the prostate. This treatment is about 15 minutes and takes a few rounds over the course of a couple of days. Because of the needles, this treatment can be quite painful.
The brachytherapy procedures are sometimes combined with external beam therapy to give the prostate higher doses of cancer fighting treatment. These treatments are used to only focus on the prostate and not affect the bladder and rectum.
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