Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer in Columbia, SC
What is Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer affecting men worldwide. Radiation therapy helps by targeting, shrinking and killing prostate cancer cells while aiming to preserve surrounding healthy tissue.
When is Radiation Therapy Used?
Prostate cancer develops in the prostate gland, an organ located below the bladder and in front of the rectum in men. Early-stage prostate cancer often grows slowly and may not cause significant symptoms. However, as the disease progresses, it can spread beyond the prostate gland and become more aggressive.
Radiation therapy is used for prostate cancer when recommended by your doctor or oncologist.
You have several options for radiation therapy that will fit your individual needs.
Your doctor may discuss:
- Your medical history
- Your stage or grade of cancer
- Your preferences
- Your overall health
Radiation therapy plays a crucial role in the management of prostate cancer, offering an effective and localized approach to target cancer cells while preserving surrounding healthy tissues.
Types of Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer?
There are a number of options for radiation therapy for prostate cancer.
Radiation therapy represents a valuable treatment option for patients diagnosed with prostate cancer, offering effective disease control, preservation of quality of life, and minimal disruption to daily activities.
Some common types of radiation therapy include:
- External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) – is the most common type of radiation therapy and is painless. Technology and imaging wills scan to map out the location of the prostate cancer and x-ray beams are focused on the targeted areas.
- Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) – this is used when radiation beams need more exactness to better target the prostate and limit radiation to the surrounding tissues.
- Proton Beam Therapy – Scanning proton beam therapy uses proton beams that can stop at the borders of the tumor to prevent radiation from affecting nearby healthy tissue.
- Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) or Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Therapy (SABR) – delivers high levels of radiation over a short period of time to a very small area. This usually requires fewer treatments
- Image-guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) – using daily imaging to check the tumor target’s position using markers that can show up and help radiation oncologists see the tumor’s position each day.
- Brachytherapy – tiny radioactive seeds are injected into the prostate to eliminate the cancer cells.
- Radium-223 Therapy – This is used when men have metastatic prostate cancer that is long longer responding to hormone therapy.
Talk with your doctor to see which is right for you.
Side Effects of Radiation Therapy?
While radiation therapy for prostate cancer is generally well-tolerated, it may be associated with certain side effects, including:
- Fatigue
- Tiredness
- Urinary symptoms like urgency or burning
- Rectal irritation like diarrhea, bleeding or discomfort
Talk to your doctor if you experience any side effects. You can also weigh the benefits and the risks prior to any treatment for prostate cancer.
Result of Radiation Therapy?
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, we encourage you to explore the various treatment options available. Many have shown effective results.
Radiation therapy can:
- Help control the disease
- Is a non-invasive approach
- Treat early stage cancers of the prostate gland
- Treat more advanced cancers that may have spread beyond the prostate
- Be used alone
- Can be combined with other treatments
- Treat recurrent prostate cancer following surgery
- Treat men with limited spreading prostate cancer to reduce the tumor’s size and improve survival and quality of life
- Slow cancer growth
- Can help address pain from more advanced cancer
- Can help preserve your quality of life
Contact SCOA if you’d like to find out more about radiation therapy for prostate cancer. We can help. Give us a call at (803) 461-3000 to get started, or request an appointment through our secure online form.
