Radiation & Systemic Therapy

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is commonly used for high grade, large, or extracapsular tumors. Radiation therapy is also effective in treating symptoms of metastatic disease.

Interstitial brachytherapy is delivering a radioactive treatment dose locally to the tumor.

Prophylactic radiation therapy to the male breasts is administered to avoid painful enlargement of the breasts when the patient starts on hormones. Radiation to the male breast should not be coded as cancer-directed radiation therapy.

Systemic Therapy

Systemic therapy is typically not recommended for early prostate cancer but is effective for regionalized or metastatic disease. Occasionally, anti-androgens (such as lupron, casodex, or flutamide) are given for early stage prostate cancer.