Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)
Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) uses frequent imaging during a course of radiation therapy to improve the precision and accuracy of the delivery the radiation treatment.In IGRT, the linear accelerator (machine that delivers radiation) is equipped with imaging technology that take pictures of the tumor immediately before or during the time radiation is delivered.
Specialized computer software compares these images of the tumor to the images taken during the simulation to establish the treatment plan. Necessary adjustments can then be made to the patient's position and/or the radiation beams to more precisely target radiation at the cancer and avoid exposure to the healthy surrounding tissue.
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
Radiation oncologists at Penn Medicine use intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to treat prostate cancer. This advanced mode of high-precision radiotherapy utilizes computer-controlled linear accelerators to deliver precise radiation doses to tumors or specific areas within the tumors.Radiation therapy, including IMRT, stops cancer cells from dividing and growing, thus slowing or stopping tumor growth. In many cases, radiation therapy is capable of killing all of the cancer cells.
Using 3-D computed tomography (CT) images in conjunction with computerized dose calculations, IMRT allows for the radiation dose to conform more precisely to the three-dimensional shape of the tumor by controlling, or modulating the intensity of the radiation beam in multiple small volumes. The therapy allows higher radiation doses to be focused on regions within the tumor while minimizing the dose to surrounding normal critical structures
Cyberknife®
CyberKnife is a non-invasive alternative to surgery for the treatment of both cancerous and non-cancerous tumors anywhere in the body, including the prostate. The treatment delivers beams of high dose radiation to tumors with extreme accuracy.CyberKnife therapy is pain free, non-invasive and can be done as an outpatient procedure. CyberKnife can treat hard to reach tumors, and requires no anesthesia during treatment. Penn’s CyberKnife is located at Pennsylvania Hospital.
Proton therapy
Penn Medicine's Roberts Proton Therapy Center is the largest and most advanced facility in the world for this precise form of cancer radiation. At Penn Medicine, patients have access to one of the most sophisticated weapons against cancer, seamlessly integrated with the full range of oncology services available at Penn's Abramson Cancer Center.Proton therapy is external beam radiotherapy in which protons are directed at a tumor. The radiation dose that is given through protons is very precise, and limits the exposure of normal tissues. This allows the radiation dose delivered to the tumor to be increased beyond conventional radiation. The result is a better chance for curing cancer with fewer harmful side effects.
Proton therapy, like all forms of radiation therapy, works by aiming the energized particles, in this case protons, onto the target tumor. These particles damage the DNA of cells, ultimately causing their death.
Unlike X-rays, protons can be manipulated to release most of their energy only when they reach their target. With more energy reaching the cancerous cells, more damage is administered by each burst of radiation.
Read a patient testimonial about proton therapy for prostate cancer here.
Learn More About Prostate Cancer Treatment at Penn
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with prostate cancer or an abnormal PSA, you're probably wondering what to do next. Look to Penn's Abramson Cancer Center for the most advanced cancer program in the region - for full insight on all your options.Our team will:
- Help you understand your PSA levels and guide you towards the next steps you should take
- Ensure you have the most accurate diagnosis using advanced diagnostics
- Offer you the most advanced surgical and radiation treatment options – all in one place
- Answer your questions about the potential side effects of all your options
- Provide an unbiased opinion on your best treatment option
Call 800-789-PENN (7366) to schedule a consultation with a Penn prostate cancer specialist.
Or, learn more about prostate cancer treatment, side effects of prostate cancer, and other prostate cancer information by watching a five-part video series about prostate cancer.
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