RADIOTHERAPY
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Radiotherapy (radiation treatment) uses high energy X-rays, or radioactive substances, to treat prostate cancer. How does radiotherapy work? Radiation is harmful to living tissues and damages the DNA in cells. It can kill cancer cells, but also harms healthy tissues and this is what causes some of the side-effects. Healthy normal tissues are able to repair the damage done by radiation, but there may be some permanent changes. When is radiotherapy used in prostate cancer? • As a curative treatment when the cancer has not spread beyond the area around the prostate (as an alternative to surgery) – this is called localised prostate cancer • As a “salvage” treatment if cancer comes back after surgery – this is called recurrent prostate cancer • To manage symptoms if the cancer has spread and cannot be cured • To slow progression of prostate cancer if it has already spread How is radiotherapy given? • External beam radiotherapy (EBRT), the most common method, uses beams of high-energy X-rays generated by machines and aimed very precisely at the region to be treated. ERBT is given on an out-patient basis • Brachytherapy involves the insertion of radioactive pellets or needles directly into the prostate under an anaesthetic. This is available on a regional basis in the NHS and may require travel • Radium-223 is an injection of radioactive material into the bloodstream and is sometimes used to treat prostate cancer that has spread to bones • Proton therapy uses a beam of sub-atomic particles (protons) in a similar way to EBRT. It is not used in the UK for prostate cancer
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FIGHTING PROSTATE CANCER - A SURVIVAL GUIDE
