EXTERNAL-BEAM RADIATION FOR PROSTATE CANCER TREATMENT: HOW DOES AN X-RAY MACHINE WORK?
How does an X-ray machine work? The simplest way to think of it is to imagine yourself getting a suntan. The difference here is that you can’t feel or see the X-ray energy hitting your body, and the “tan” occurs internally, as the radiation particles destroy DNA, causing targeted cells to die. The best way to get a good, even tan is in increments, not all at once. Therefore, radiation doses are spread out over several weeks’, with each treatment lasting only minutes at a time. The goal here, besides killing the cancer, is to do as little harm as possible to the surrounding tissue—the rectum, bowel, bladder, bone and skin.
External-beam radiation therapy’s effects may not be as durable in the long run as those of radical prostatectomy; it is often associated with positive biopsies and, over time, with increases in PSA. This is why external-beam radiation therapy is an ideal option for older patients. However, within the last few years, an exciting new technique called 3-D conformal radiation therapy has come on the scene. It increases external-beam therapy’s potential by maximizing the dose of radiation to the prostate tumor, while keeping the risk of damaging nearby tissue to a minimum—and it may improve long-term results.
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