Postoperative radiation therapy has been demonstrated to be an effective means of preventing the recurrence of disease in patients with prostate cancer. Studies have proven that attempting radiation therapy immediately following surgery is the best means of promoting the disease-free survival of patients. Debate is ongoing as to which method of postoperative radiation treatment, adjuvant radiotherapy or salvage radiotherapy, is most effective. It stands to note that, no matter which type of therapy doctors choose to pursue, the long-term survival rates of patients with prostate cancer are greatly enhanced with radiation.
Adjuvant Radiotherapy
Adjuvant radiation therapy, commonly known as ART, is a time-tested method of preventing the recurrence of cancer in individuals with prostate cancer. ART therapy is pursued immediately following a radical prostatectomy, a surgery that completely removes the prostate. External radiation beam therapy is usually used. The process is similar to an x-ray: a patient is made to go into a room where he is bombarded with proton or electron beams. The procedure is painless and lasts for only a few minutes. Treatments will generally take place nearly every day in the several weeks immediately following surgery.
Salvage Radiotherapy
Unlike with the ART procedure, delayed salvage radiation therapy (often called SRT) does not take place immediately following surgery. Rather, therapy begins only when an individual begins displaying high PSA levels, a common indicator of the recurrence of cancer. SRT therapy may be combined with other types of treatment, such as hormonal therapy, to ensure success. Treatments are usually localized using electron beam therapy or injectable radioactive compounds. While salvage radiation therapy is extremely promising, it is a relatively new procedure as compared with ART therapy. Selection of patients for either type of therapy is up to individuals and their health care professionals.
Radiation
Many things factor in to whether an individual will pursue radiation following surgery. For example, ART therapy is most commonly chosen when an individual has a very high likelihood of the recurrence of the disease. Because adjuvant therapy takes place immediately following surgery, the patient may be more comfortable getting the therapy "out of the way," so to speak. However, more patients are migrating toward SRT due to the difficulty of therapy sessions. Side effects of therapy, such as rectal bleeding, nausea, diarrhea and skin irritation, are common. Avoiding therapy immediately following surgery allows individuals the time to recover and prevents over-treatment when it is unnecessary. Therapy decisions should be made carefully between patients and doctors.
Tags: following surgery, immediately following, immediately following surgery, radiation therapy, prostate cancer, with prostate