Current Treatment Options for Prostate Cancer

When diagnosed with prostate cancer, men are faced with a wide variety of treatment options. According to Len Hurst, MS DABR, RSO, Director of CVMC’s Radiation Oncology department, recent prostate breakthroughs in radiation therapy include the following:

External Beam Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy using conventional or newer techniques, such as Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). “IMRT is a very precise treatment that does a better job of sparing normal tissues, thereby reducing side effects over conventional radiation therapy,” Hurst says.

Prostate Brachytherapy: A type of radiation therapy where small, radioactive sources – known as High Dose Rate (HDR) implants – are inserted directly into the prostate to deliver a larger dose of radiation without going through the surrounding tissues. “More men are now selecting this option, because the side effects are much better,” says Hurst. “A recent study in Europe indicated improved cure rates with HDR, which means this option may prove to be more beneficial for patients.

“While the options vary slightly depending on the stage of the disease, for most patients, treatment is a choice based on personal preference,” Hurst adds. “All the therapies have similar cure rates and varying degrees of side effects, so patients are able to make a choice based on which type of therapy best fits their lifestyle.”

For more information about CVMC’s prostate cancer treatments, please call the Radiation Oncology department at 828/326-3856.