Radiotherapy in prostate cancer treatment

Abstract

Prostate cancer is a complex disease, with many controversial aspects of management in almost all stages of disease. The natural history of this tumor is variable and is influenced by multiple prognostic factors. Radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy are standard treatment options for disease limited to the prostate. The data in literature does not provide clear- cut evidence for the superiority of any treatment. Neo- adjuvant or adjuvant hormonal therapy improves local control and survival in locally advanced disease. The patients treated with radiotherapy would have a relatively long life expectancy, not great risk factors for radiation toxicity and a preference for radiotherapy. The advantages of radiotherapy are that it has a significant potential for cure, it is well tolerated in the majority of men especially when the modern techniques of conformal radiotherapy and intensity modulated therapy are used and it is non-invasive therapeutic options with no anesthesia risk. Expected complications like radiation cystitis, impotence and proctitis are registered in about 1% of patients.