Today, the arsenal of “high-precision” or “targeted” radiotherapy includes a variety of techniques and approaches that, like the pieces of a puzzle, need to be put together to provide the prostate cancer patient with high-level optimized radiation treatment. This book examines in detail the role of these innovative radiation techniques in the management of prostate cancer. In addition, a variety of current controversies regarding treatment are carefully explored, including whether prophylactic treatment of the pelvic lymphatics is essential, the magnitude of the effect of dose escalation, whether a benefit accrues from hypofractionation, and what evidence exists for the superiority of protons or heavy ions. Radiotherapy in Prostate Cancer: Innovative Techniques and Current Controversies is intended for both radiation oncologists and urologists with an interest in the up-to-date capabilities of modern radiation oncology for the treatment of prostate cancer.
Table of Content
Imaging, delineation and immobilization: MRI and MR-spectroscopy.- PET imaging in prostate cancer.- Phase contrast X-ray imaging- next generation CT imaging.- Organ contouring for IMRT.- General aspects of patient immobilization.- Internal immobilization: From rectal balloon to hyaluronic acid.- Clinical endpoints: Biochemical recurrence– a valuable endpoint?.- Overall and disease-free survival – too long to wait?.- Late toxicity – current scoring concepts.- Quality of life: Assessment and Correlates.- Dose escalation and new radiation techniques: Dose escalation – an update on randomized clinical trials.- IMRT for prostate cancer.- IGRT- how and when.- Tracking in prostate cancer.- Locally advanced disease: Techniques of pelvic lymphatic irradiation.- Prophylactic treatment of the pelvic lymphatics: pro.- Prophylactic treatment of the pelvic lymphatics: contra.- Hormonal therapy and radiation therapy – randomized and prospective trials.- Treatment of clinically involved lymph nodes.- Hypofractionation: Hypofractionation in prostate cancer- biological aspects.- Hypofractionation: Clinical data.- Simultaneous integrated boost techniques.- Brachytherapy: Principals of 3D, highly conformal brachytherapy.- Seed implantation.- HDR brachytherapy.- Adjuvant treatment and salvage treatment: Target volume definition in postoperative radiotherapy.- Randomized trials for adjuvant radiotherapy.- Salvage radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy.- Salvage prostatectomy after radiotherapy.- Use of protons and heavy ions: Proton therapy for prostate cancer: technological and clinical aspects.- There is evidence for the superiority of protons or heavy ions, pro.- There is evidence for the superiority of protons or heavy ions, contra.