This is where radiation from an external source is used to kill cancer cells inside the body. This is usually given over a 6 week course for 5 days a week with the treatment lasting about 10-15 minutes. The patient is placed in front of a radiation machine and special deflectors are used to shape the area of radiation into the right shape for getting the highest amount (doseage) into the prostate without damaging the surrounding tissues. The precise amount of radiotherapy will be decided by your doctor, depending upon the nature of your cancer.
A course of hormonal therapy is usually given prior to the radiotherapy over 3 months for patients with localised disease, but in some cases where the patient has high grade (Gleason Grading), locally advanced disease or a high PSA reading, the oncologist (cancer doctor) may suggest that the hormone treatment be continued for a number of years (usually 2).
Side effects of radiotherapy include urinary frequency and urgency, caused by imflammation of the bladder, and irritation of the rectum associated with diarrhoea and passage of blood or mucus. These side effects usually settle over time. Radiotherapy can also damage the nerves and blood vessels necessary for erection, so the ability to get and maintain an erection may be lost after treatment (erectile dysfunction).
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