Strahlentherapie des Prostatakarzinoms

Background

Prostate cancer is the seventh most common cause of death for men in Germany with a mortality rate of 10,1 %. External beam radiotherapy is the alternative primary therapy apart from surgery for patients with locally confined prostate cancer.

Results

The oncological result is linked to the overall dose used. The use of three-dimensional (3-D) conformal radiation therapy allows dose escalation with low side effects. In particular, intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) enables complex dose distributions. As the prostate is a relatively mobile organ, image-guided radiation therapy is the key for a correct dose distribution, which can be achieved with nowadays tools fast and simple.

Conclusions

The new techniques are responsible for a safe dose escalation with low side effects. Patients with intermediate and high risk prostate cancer do profit from the combination of neoadjuvant/simultaneous and adjuvant hormone therapy.