Key Takeaways:
- Radiation therapy for prostate cancer involves a CT simulation to map out and pinpoint the area needing treatment, as well as the placement of three small tattoos to allow external visualization of the prostate.
- The deliberation period after the CT simulation lasts about a week, during which the medical team identifies the prostate and other organs in the pelvis which might be affected by the radiation treatment.
- The final step involves a strategic dose of radiation, which is fed into a state-of-the-art treatment planning computer to calculate the exact amount of radiation to be delivered to the targeted area while limiting radiation dose to other organs.
Radiation therapy for prostate cancer is a common and effective treatment option, but the process might seem bewildering if you’re unfamiliar with it. The Advanced Prostate Cancer Institute in Oxford, FL, is dedicated to providing clear, comprehensive explanations and support throughout your treatment journey. As Martin Tompkins, a professional at the institute, explains, “the first step is to have what we call a CT simulation.”
Step One: CT Simulation
“When a patient decides to choose radiation therapy,” says Tompkins, “the patients will actually go to another room where we have a CT simulator similar to what they would find in a hospital.” The CT simulator is vital in mapping out and pinpointing the area needing treatment, whether it is the prostate itself or the prostate bed.
But the process doesn’t stop at mapping out the prostate region. To further ensure precision, Tompkins adds, “we’ll give them three small tattoos using lasers that are mounted on the wall.” These tiny tattoos aren’t a fashion statement, but rather highly technical markers that allow external visualization of where the prostate is likely to be.
Step Two: The Waiting Period
Radiation therapy isn’t a rush job. After the CT simulation, there is a deliberation period lasting about a week. Tompkins sheds light on this period, stating, “During that week, the physician and the physicist are going through each slice of the scan.” Detailed examination is key in this stage. The medical team identifies the prostate and other organs in the pelvis which might be affected by the radiation treatment. In Tompkins words, “And so, what we do then is, we map those out or we contour those organs and tissues.”
Step Three: Precise Treatment Planning
The final step involves a strategic dose of radiation. As Tompkins explains, “we identify how much or how little dose we want those to receive.” The medical team then feeds the data into a state-of-the-art treatment planning computer, which calculates how to deliver the exact amount of radiation to the targeted area while also aiming to limit the radiation dose to other surrounding organs and tissues.
For the uninitiated, the process of radiation therapy for prostate cancer can seem daunting. But remember, you’re not alone. The Advanced Prostate Cancer Institute, the largest urology practice in Florida, is equipped with professionals like Martin Tompkins, who are skilled and passionate about guiding you throughout the treatment. We ensure your office visit becomes a well-executed mission to beat prostate cancer, offering a human touch even as we harness high-tech treatments. It’s not just about radiating a problem area; it’s about illuminating your way to health.
References:
- “Radiation therapy – Mayo Clinic.” 20 Apr. 2023, https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/radiation-therapy/about/pac-20385162.
- “CT Simulation | Central Vermont Medical Center.” https://www.cvmc.org/departments-programs/cancer-care/radiation-oncology/what-expect/ct-simulation.
- “Radiation Therapy Process | Stony Brook Cancer Center.” https://cancer.stonybrookmedicine.edu/RadiationTherapyProcess.
Transcription:
If a patient decides to choose radiation therapy, the first step is to have what we call a CT simulation. The patients will actually go to another room where we have a CT simulator similar to what they would find in a hospital or any time they’ve ever had a CT before. And what will happen at that point is we’ll make a mold for their feet to help immobilize their feet.
And then also, as we do the scan, we’re actually mapping out and identifying the target area, whether it’s the prostate or the prostate bed, if they’ve had a prostatectomy. So at that point, when we localize the area, the target, the area that we want to treat, we’ll give them three small tattoos using lasers that are mounted on the wall. When we look at the patient from an exterior perspective, we can see from those tattoos generally where the prostate is going to be.
So from that point, the patient will have about a week before they actually come back for treatment. During that week, the physician and the physicist are going through each slice of the scan and they’re identifying the areas in the pelvis, including the prostate and the other organs and tissues around the prostate that would receive radiation. And so what we do then is we map those out or we contour those organs and tissues, and then we identify how much or how little dose we want those to receive.
After we do that, we plug that data into the treatment planning computer and the computer figures out how to deliver the treatment, the dose or the amount of treatment that we want to give to the target, while shortening or lessening the dose to the other surrounding organs and tissues.
