PROSTATE CANCER

The optimal treatment for prostate cancer is based on tumor stage, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) score and Gleason score. Age, overall medical condition, prostate size, and other factors are also taken into consideration.

For localized prostate cancer with high probability of containment within the capsule of the prostate, options are plentiful and have comparable cure rates. Two of the options offered are external beam radiation and low-dose-rate brachytherapy (implantation of radioactive seeds).

Calypso System

Intensity-modulated external-beam radiation (IMRT) allows UMMG radiation oncologists to deliver high radiation doses with fewer side effects and better sparing of normal tissue in the rectum, bladder, and other areas near the prostate.  A realtime tracking system (Calypso®) which enables localization of organs (particularly the prostate) during treatment delivery ensures that every radiation treatment covers the entire prostate, which can shift position slightly from day to day.

In patients at higher risk for cancer cells being found outside the tumor or in the lymph nodes, external beam radiation therapy with or without seed implantation used in combination with hormone deprivation therapy may be the treatment of choice.

Ongoing research into the role of chemotherapy and agents such as vitamin D, as well as the effect of higher doses of radiation, may result in additional treatment options in the future. It is hoped that studies being performed at the molecular level, such as that of androgen receptors in prostate cancer, will help physicians understand the mechanisms of prostate cancer and lead to treatments tailored to individual biologic parameters.