Radiation Treatment of Prostate Cancer

Radiation therapy involves the effort to kill tumor cells and the neighboring affected tissues having radioactive materials. Radiation is extremely effective for males with localized illness, but it may be the chosen method of healing for men who are very ill or too old to be operated, or who have highly developed stage of the ailment.

The benefits of radiation treatment include the reality that, depending on the type of therapy, it is also non-invasive or less enveloping than surgery. Radiation treatment may be also the finest method of therapy if the tumor has scattered outside of the prostate or if the cancer patient ruled out the taking away of the organ.
The dose to be given is an essential factor, and it is hard to determine the amount of radiation every patient must receive. A very low dosage can not kill the tumor, but very high dosage may enhance the painful side effects.
Kinds of Radiation Therapy
A) External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRP)
This is usually the most utilized kind of radiation. This therapy is a non-enveloping treatment where a great X- ray beam is designed to kill the cancer. The procedure only takes some few minutes in every treatment, and no pain or discomfort can be experienced. The usual round of therapy takes 5 days per week for duration of around eight weeks.
B) Brachytherapy or seed therapy
This process entails the embedding of radioactive substance in the prostate, normally directed by ultrasound for perfect placement. The surgeon puts the ultrasound probe in the rectum to guide the position of some radioactive seeds; this procedure is done while the patient is under anesthesia. The seeds which are slightly smaller than a granule of rice destroy the cancer cells. These seeds are placed permanently in the prostate.
C) Radionuclide Therapy
Radionuclides or radiopharmaceuticals are drugs used to cure prostate tumor if it has already spread in the bones. The medicine is inserted through the IV, and is engrossed in the bones. It is an outpatient medication that can be done in the office of the doctor.
Radiation has many side effects and they vary depending in the methods of therapy and some other factors. Majority of symptoms fade away after one or two month's completion of treatment. The following are some side effects of radiation:
- Increased urination
- Fatigue
- Urinary obstruction (treated by the use of catheter up to the time symptoms ends)
- Mild burning while urinating or weak urination
- Temporary dysfunction of erection
Radiation also has some side effects into the prostate; they are regularity of urination, loose bowel movement and the most uncommon side effect is impotence. The initial two effects normally resolve within some few months after radiation therapy is completed. Other probable side-effects entail hemorrhage from the rectal area and the bladder, both commonly determine with time.
Common complications of prostate cancer which has spread to the bone entail pain and enhanced probability of fracture. Radiation of bone laceration is frequently done to ease or prevent the increase of pain, rupture, or probable further development of the metastases of cancer. Medications are presently available to lessen the pain and will also decrease the possibility of bone fracture.
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