Seungtaek L. Choi, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology, and clinical medical director, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the considering factors for patients to receive radiation therapy (RT) for their prostate cancer.

One of the challenges with choosing treatment is that are numerous options available, Choi explains. However, for most patients, both surgery and RT are good options with a very high chance for cure and low risk for side effects. Nevertheless, there are some patients who are more likely to benefit from RT, which are those who have comorbidities, such as heart disease. Other patients who might benefit better are those with very aggressive disease who might undergo RT anyway even if they had surgery. It is controversial whether RT by itself is less effective than RT plus surgery he adds.

There are some side effects that some patients want to avoid when choosing between treatments. Urinary incontinence is a risk factor with surgery and is not as common with RT.

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Seungtaek L. Choi, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology, and clinical Medical Director, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the considering factors for patients to receive radiation therapy (RT) for their prostate cancer. 

Dr. Choi on Considering Factors for RT in Prostate Cancer

Seungtaek L. Choi, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology, and clinical Medical Director, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses how radiation therapy (RT) has evolved for the treatment of patients with prostate cancer.

The biggest change in RT is that the treatments have more doses directly to the prostate cancer, Choi explains. There is definitely less doses to the rectum and the bladder, as well as a decreased risk of side effects.

Unfortunately, with prostate cancer, it takes physicians 5 to 7 years to see the actual cure rate, he adds. However, the side effects often occur in the first 2 to 5 years. In addition, there have been less reports of rectal and bladder irritation, and the risk of urinary incontinence is very low at less than 1%.

Now, physicians are seeing cure rates in patients with very low prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as it now goes to 0. This compares similar with surgical outcomes, Choi says.

Seungtaek L. Choi, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology, and clinical Medical Director, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses how radiation therapy has evolved for the treatment of patients with prostate cancer.

Seungtaek L. Choi, MD

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Dr. Choi on Considering Factors for RT in Prostate Cancer

Dr. Choi on Evolution of RT in Prostate Cancer