Page 1 - Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Urological Health

Radiation therapy for
prostate cancer

Prostate cancer can often be cured by radiotherapy. Soon after treatment most men
will be able to resume their usual lifestyle.

he prostate is a gland that sits below the bladder. It treated by the radiation oncologist. The other members
Twraps around the portion of the urethra (the urinary of the team involved in the delivery of radiotherapy
channel) between the bladder and its control muscle, include oncology nurses, the medical physicist and the
the urethral sphincter. Its main function is to produce part radiation therapist.
of the semen ejaculated at orgasm. Each vas deferens
(carrying-away vessel) carrying sperm from the testicles Because there are many different types of radiation
connects to the prostate. The nerves carrying signals to and many ways to deliver it, planning for the treatments
produce erections run on either side of the prostate. is an important step. After discussion with the radiation
oncologist and the choice of radiation is made, radiation
Cancer may develop in the prostate and can grow into planning is performed to ensure that the prostate
surrounding tissues or spread to other parts of the body is targeted precisely while minimizing exposure to
(“metastasize”), especially to lymph nodes or bone. surrounding healthy tissues. During the planning process
Determining the extent of your cancer is based on a you may need to have special tests, scans or x-rays that
number of factors including how the prostate feels on will help the team make decisions about your treatment.
examination and the PSA (prostate specific antigen)
blood level. Microscopic examination of prostate biopsies There are different types of radiation therapy for prostate
can confirm the suspicion of cancer and also allows cancer; the most frequently used types include external
some prediction of the tumour’s expected behaviour. This beam radiation and internal radiation or “seed” therapy
is known as the tumour grade or Gleason score. (brachytherapy).

Additional investigations may be performed, when
necessary, to determine the extent or stage of the External beam radiation therapy
cancer. Your prostate cancer appears to be confined
to the region of the prostate, although there is always a In external beam radiation therapy, radiation is
chance of undetectable, microscopic spread. directed at the cancer and surrounding tissue from a
machine outside of the body. This radiation is given
You have discussed several treatment options with your on an outpatient basis, which means that overnight
urologist, including: hospitalization will not be necessary. Generally, one
• observation without treatment (sometimes called treatment is given each day of the week from Monday
“active surveillance” or “watchful waiting”); through Friday, for six to eight weeks. The treatments are
• surgical removal of the prostate (prostatectomy); or painless and take only a few minutes but you will need to
spend 15 to 30 minutes in the treatment room to ensure
• radiation therapy. you are placed properly on the treatment table and to
Each option has its own advantages and risks. check the machine settings.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays, either The primary target is the prostate gland itself. In addition,
beamed from a machine or emitted by radioactive organs and tissue around the prostate may be irradiated.
seeds implanted in the prostate, to kill cancer cells. Other Radiating the lymph nodes in the pelvis is not performed
names for this common method of treating cancer are on all patients, but it may be necessary in certain
radiotherapy, x-ray therapy or irradiation. Radiation circumstances. Depending on a number of risk factors
in high doses can cure or control cancer by inhibiting regarding your prostate cancer, it may be advised that
the cancer cells from dividing or reproducing. During you receive medication to block the production of
radiation therapy, both cancer cells and healthy cells are testosterone prior to starting radiation therapy. Prostate
affected but most healthy cells can repair themselves cancer is stimulated or fuelled by testosterone (the male
afterwards. There have been vast improvements in the hormone) and removing this from the body can be useful
equipment and delivery of radiation treatment over the in shrinking the prostate and increasing the effect of
last 20 to 30 years, such that today it can be used safely radiation.
and effectively in men of all ages.
In Canada, radiation therapy is given in specialized
cancer centres. There, a team of experts will provide Continued on next page
your care. The radiation oncologist is the medical doctor
in charge of a patient’s radiation treatment. He or she
prescribes and plans the radiation course to be given.
Any side effects from the radiation will be recognized and