Dr. Gieschen on Standard Approaches to Radiation Therapy in Prostate Cancer

Holger L. Gieschen, MD, assistant professor, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, radiation oncologist, West Cancer Center, discusses standard approaches to radiation therapy in prostate cancer.

There are many approaches in terms of radiation delivery, explains Gieschen. Standard external beam treatment is used over a longer period of time, whereas shorter courses of radiation can be given over a duration of 5.5 weeks. Selecting the right method should be individualized to each patient and the state of their disease, he adds. Patient preferences and expectations should also be factored into a treating physician’s decision.

In prostate cancer, radiation can be combined with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). This approach is most appropriate in intermediate- and poor-risk populations, explains Gieschen. Patients with low-risk disease do not need the addition of ADT. Conversely, ADT should always be incorporated into the treatment course of a patient with high-risk disease if there are no contraindications that state otherwise.