Surgery

Prostate Radiotherapy

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Prostate Radiotherapy, External Beam Prostate Radiotherapy

  • See Also
  1. Prostate Seed Implant Radiotherapy
  • Indications
  1. Localized Prostate Cancer (Stages A to C)
  • Technique
  1. External beam radiation applied daily for 4 to 6 weeks
  • Efficacy
  1. First 10 years: As effective as Radical Prostatectomy
  2. After 10 years: Tumor recurrence may be more rapid
  • Advantages over Radical Prostatectomy
  1. Well tolerated outpatient therapy
  2. No surgical risks of bleeding or Anesthesia
  • Disadvantages compared with Radical Prostatectomy
  1. No hisotologic data from Prostate tumor
  2. No Lymph Node data for Prostate Cancer Staging
  • Adverse Effects
  1. Acute irritative uropathy for first 3 months
    1. Urinary urgency
    2. Dysuria and Pelvic Pain
    3. Urinary Frequency
  2. Urinary Incontinence (1%)
  3. Impotence (30 to 50%)
  4. Rectal irritation (3 to 10%)
    1. Diarrhea
    2. Stool Urgency
    3. Tenesmus
    4. Rectal Bleeding
  • References
  1. Middleton (1996) CA Cancer J Clin 46(4):249-53 [PubMed]
  2. Naitoh (1998) Am Fam Physician 57(7):1531-9 [PubMed]
  3. Williams (1996) Postgrad Med 100(3): 105-20 [PubMed]