PCRI’s Executive Director, Mark Scholz, MD, talks about intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) as a treatment for men with the Teal stage of prostate cancer. He covers the pros and cons of the treatment, discusses practical considerations, and compares it to other standard treatments for Teal.

0:15 Intro to IMRT. IMRT became available around 2004. Previous methods of delivering external beam radiation were less accurate and caused more side effects. IMRT uses highly focused radiation beams to prevent damage to surrounding tissue.

1:06 Practical information about IMRT treatment. Men will visit a specialized facility daily from Monday to Friday with visits taking approximately 40 minutes each. Radiation is delivered and the patient goes on their way. In the past, treatment schedules would take up to 9 consecutive weeks. But modern studies show that a course of 5 weeks with stronger individual doses is as effective.

2:02 Adding other treatments to IMRT. Depending on the severity of one’s case, radioactive seed implants (brachytherapy) and or a short course of hormone therapy can be added.

2:28 Side effects of IMRT include erectile dysfunction. The incidence depends on preexisting conditions, patient age and other factors. This can occur between 30% and 85% of men. Urinary side effects such as a burning sensation, getting up at night, urgency, frequency, etc. But typically the side effects subside after a month or two. Rarely these side effects can continue for up to two years. Rectal toxicity used to be a major concern with the older forms of radiation treatment, but this problem is solved with new accurate machines and an FDA approved hydrogel spacer called SpaceOAR.

3:35 IMRT can be considered a standard treatment for Teal, that can be scaled up with seeds or hormone therapy. There are a large number of qualified practitioners and it is a standard procedure. Treatments for teal are also determined by factors such as age, preexisting urinary or erectile conditions. But generally, IMRT delivers high cure rates and low risk of side effects.

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The Prostate Cancer Research Institute (PCRI) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to helping you research your treatment options. We understand that you have many questions, and we can help you find the answers that are specific to your case. All of our resources are designed by a multidisciplinary team of advocates and expert physicians, for patients. We believe that by educating yourself about the disease, you will have more productive interactions with your medical professionals and receive better individualized care. Feel free to explore our website or call our free helpline at 1 (800) 641-7274 with any questions that you have. Our Federal Tax ID # is 95-4617875 and qualifies for maximum charitable gift deductions by individual donors.

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