PROSTATE CANCERTREATMENT OPTIONS
1400 North IH 35, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 324-8060www.austincyberknife.com
PROSTATE CANCER OVERVIEW
The prostate is located in a man’s lower abdomen and controls the flow of urine and semen.
Second only to lung cancer, prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among American men.
According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 238,590 cases of prostate cancer will occur in the U.S. during 2013.
1400 North IH 35, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 324-8060www.austincyberknife.com
TREATING PROSTATE CANCER
The stage of the cancer
The patient’s age and health
The patient’s Gleason Score — This determines how likely it is that a tumor will spread
Whether the cancer is recently diagnosed or recurring
The patient’s prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels — PSA is a substance made by the prostate that may be found in an increased amount in the blood of men who have prostate cancer
1400 North IH 35, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 324-8060www.austincyberknife.com
Prostate cancer treatments differ primarily in technical nature and potential side effects.
Treatment options can depend on the following:
TREATMENT OPTIONS
Prostate cancer treatment options include: Watchful Waiting Surgery External-Beam Radiation Therapy Brachytherapy Proton Therapy Stereotactic Body Radiation
Therapy
1400 North IH 35, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 324-8060www.austincyberknife.com
WATCHFUL WAITING
The concept of watchful waiting has emerged as a viable option for men who decide not to undergo immediate surgery or radiation therapy.
1400 North IH 35, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 324-8060www.austincyberknife.com
SURGERY
Procedure & Recovery Time Procedure lasts 3 – 4 hours Requires general anesthesia and a
three-day hospital stay Recovery usually requires a few
weeks at home
Potential side effects Urinary incontinence Erectile dysfunction
1400 North IH 35, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 324-8060www.austincyberknife.com
Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy: Surgery in which the prostate gland is removed and that may include biopsies of nearby lymph nodes.
EXTERNAL-BEAM RADIATION THERAPY
Procedure & Recovery Time Approximately 40 daily radiation treatments over a period of seven to eight weeks Treatment takes approximately 15 minutes Outpatient procedure that allows most patients to return to their
normal routine
Potential side effects Temporary rectal and urinary irritation Erectile dysfunction Lacks the ability to correct for movement of the prostate during
treatment, resulting in possible damage to healthy tissue surrounding the prostate
1400 North IH 35, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 324-8060www.austincyberknife.com
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy or IMRT: IMRT targets radiation beams to the location of the patient’s tumor.
BRACHYTHERAPY
Procedure & Recovery Time One-time procedure that requires patients to
remain in the hospital for several hours Patients are usually allowed to return home on
the same day
Potential side effects Erectile dysfunction Urinary irritation, frequency and
obstruction Rectal injury
1400 North IH 35, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 324-8060www.austincyberknife.com
Brachytherapy: Small radioactive seeds are implanted within the prostate gland and give off radiation to the immediate surrounding area over the course of several months. After a year, the radioactive material degrades, and the seeds that remain are harmless.
PROTON THERAPY
Procedure & Recovery Time Treatment is usually delivered five days a week for
approximately eight weeks Patients are usually able to return to their normal routine
after treatment
Potential side effects Few to no side effects when compared to
traditional radiation therapy
1400 North IH 35, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 324-8060www.austincyberknife.com
Proton Therapy: Noninvasive treatment that uses a particle accelerator to deliver a focused ray of proton particles that destroy cancer cells.
STEREOTACTIC BODY RADIATION THERAPY
Procedure & Recovery Time Five or fewer outpatient sessions over the course of one to two weeks Treatment procedures take about 30-90 minutes Patients are usually able to return to their normal routine after treatment Recovery is often immediate
Potential side effects Few to no side effects when compared to traditional radiation therapy
1400 North IH 35, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 324-8060www.austincyberknife.com
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy: Noninvasive procedure that delivers targeted radiation beams to the prostate without incision or sedation using CyberKnife® technology.
How Does CyberKnife Treat Prostate Cancer
The treatment process includes: Consultation appointment Pretreatment procedures CyberKnife treatment Follow-up
1400 North IH 35, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 324-8060www.austincyberknife.com
Prior to stereotactic body radiosurgery treatment with CyberKnife, small tissue markers known as fiducials are implanted in the prostate to help the CyberKnife pinpoint the tumor location throughout each treatment, so the radiation beams can be locked on the tumor.
About a week later, patients are fitted with a custom body mold of soft material that they lie on during treatments. The fitting process is painless.
Our Center
Austin CyberKnife was the first in the greater Austin area, as well as the central Texas region, to offer CyberKnife treatment, giving our physicians the most experience treating patients with this technology in our area. Austin CyberKnife is a department of University Medical Center Brackenridge, a member of the Seton Healthcare Family.
If you or a loved one is diagnosed with prostate cancer, contact Austin CyberKnife to schedule a consultation with our physicians to determine the best next step for your treatment needs.
Connect With UsMedical Director: Dr. Doug Rivera
CyberKnife Nurse: Lori Eitelbach, RN
Medical Physicist: Jim Hevezi, PhD
1400 North IH 35, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 324-8060www.austincyberknife.com