Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer

Forms of Radiotherapy

There is a wide range of forms of radiotherapy in treating cancer of the prostate:
1. External beam therapy:

• Divided into Standard External Beam Therapy and 3D Conformal Therapy.
• It delivers radiation beams targeted to the prostate.
• It is carried out as an outpatient procedure – patients do not have to stay in the hospital.
• 3D Conformal Therapy is a more updated method but is less widely available. It uses beams that are shaped to the outline of the prostate. Computer images are used to target the beams accurately.

2. Brachytherapy:

• It is a form of radiation therapy used in more localised prostate cancer, meaning cancer that is more confined to the prostate itself.
• In brachytherapy, the doctor implants radioactive seeds directly into the prostate.
• This enables the radiation to be given at a higher dose in a more concentrated manner.
• It is a fairly short procedure. Patients are usually required to stay in the hospital for only one night.