What is Radiation Treatment for Prostate Cancer?

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men (excluding skin cancers). The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2020, around 191,930 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. While prostate cancer can be a serious disease, the good news is that many men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it. In fact, more than 3.1 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today

If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you may be wondering what your treatment options are. One option you may have heard of is radiation therapy. With radiation therapy, high-energy X-rays or other particles are used to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing and dividing. Radiation therapy can be used as the only treatment for prostate cancer, or it can be used in combination with other treatments such as surgery or hormone therapy

If you are considering radiation therapy for your prostate cancer, it is important to learn as much as you can about this treatment option so that you can make an informed decision about what is best for you. This blog post will provide an overview of radiation therapy for prostate cancer, including how it works and what side effects to expect

Radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA inside cancer cells so that they are unable to grow and divide. There are two types of radiation therapy that can be used to treat prostate cancer: external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and brachytherapy (BT)

BT involves placing radioactive seeds near or inside the tumor. The seeds give off small doses of radiation over a period of time and eventually lose their radioactivity. BT can be administered in two ways: low-dose rate brachytherapy (LDR) and high-dose rate brachytherapy (HDR). In LDR, also called seed implantation, the radioactive seeds are placed in the body and remain there permanently. In HDR, a device that gives off high doses of radiation is placed temporarily next to the seeds; this type of brachytherapy usually requires two or three treatment sessions over a period of one week
The type of radiation therapy recommended for a particular patient will depend on several factors such as the stage and grade of the tumor, as well as the patient’s overall health and preferences

Radiation therapy does not usually cause pain during treatment; however, some patients may experience skin irritation or fatigue. These side effects are usually mild and go away after treatment ends. More serious side effects such as urinary problems or impotence may occur but are less common. These side effects are typically temporary but could become permanent in some cases. Be sure to talk with your doctor about all possible side effects before starting treatment so that you know what to expect

This type is characterized by scaly, oily patches on the scalp. It is also sometimes called dandruff

Radiation therapy is a common treatment option for men diagnosed with prostate cancer. If you are considering this treatment option, it is important to learn as much as you can about how it works and what side effects may occur so that you can make an informed decision about what is best for you and your situation. Remember, you should always talk with your doctor about your specific case before making any decisions about your treatment plan.