Radiation Therapy: Cutting-Edge Treatment for Prostate and Breast Cancers

Breast and Prostate Cancer: Among the Most Common Cancers

Prostate cancer, accounting for 20% of male cancers diagnosed in Western countries, is the most frequent cancer in men over 50. Breast cancer, on the other hand, is the most common cancer in women. For both types of cancer, radiation therapy can be a successful treatment option.

• In the case of prostate cancer, external beam radiation therapy can be a significant alternative to surgery (radical prostatectomy);
• In the case of breast cancer, post-operative radiotherapy can reduce the risk of recurrence;

These localized, non-invasive, and painless treatments do not require hospitalization and are performed on an outpatient basis.

Breast Cancer and Radiation Therapy

Breast Cancer: Lower Recurrence Risk with Post-Operative Radiation Therapy

Today, breast cancer treatment strategies are more conservative than in the past. Surgical interventions aim to remove only the area affected by the tumor. Post-operative radiation therapy then aims to eliminate any remaining tumor cells in the area after surgery, to reduce the risk of future recurrence.

Procedures are personalized. Treatment plans are designed according to the characteristics of each patient and calibrated based on the volume of tumor tissue to be removed (as well as the number of sessions required). For each woman undergoing treatment, it is also possible to design individual radiation therapy sessions to minimize side effects on adjacent organs (including the heart and lungs).

Breast Cancer: Prevention Remains Crucial

Prevention plays a crucial role, as breast cancer can affect individuals with very different backgrounds. Breast self-examination is important to frequently notice any anomaly that should be immediately reported to your doctor and potentially followed by appropriate diagnosis.

Bilateral mammography is the most effective screening test. Its widespread use has made it possible to diagnose the disease at an early stage and, consequently, to resolve a large number of cases, thus reducing the number of deaths. Today, guidelines recommend mammography every two years for women aged 50 to 69. In women aged 40 to 49, the frequency should be adjusted according to risk factors such as family history and breast density.

Other examinations can be performed, including breast ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. However, a definitive diagnosis is established by performing a biopsy, which involves taking a small sample of tissue from the breast to analyze the cells (histological examination) and verify their nature (tumor or not). This type of examination can also be requested for the axillary lymph nodes to check if the cancer has spread to other organs.

Prostate Cancer and Innovative Therapies

Prostate Cancer: Radiation Therapy as an Alternative to Surgery

For patients with prostate cancer, external beam radiation therapy is a true curative treatment. The cure rate is comparable to that of patients undergoing radical prostatectomy, but side effects are generally lower.

The duration of treatment varies depending on the patient's characteristics. Generally, several weeks are needed, often more than seven. In some patients, after radiotherapy, adjuvant hormonal treatment is advised to improve life expectancy.

The advantages of this treatment are the absence of complications related to surgery (bleeding, anesthesia, transfusions, etc.), the possibility of treating patients of a wide age range, a low risk of post-treatment incontinence, and a good chance of maintaining erectile function.

EXPRESS QUOTE

Would you like more information?

Alternative Therapies for the Treatment of Prostate Cancer

In addition to prostate radiation therapy, other treatment modalities have emerged as alternative options for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. These include cryotherapy and HIFU, which should always be offered within the framework of well-defined clinical trials.

Cryotherapy is a technique that involves freezing the prostate by inserting needles that generate temperatures around -40°C. After the freezing phase, the cells undergo rupture of the cell membranes due to the formation of ice crystals. Cryotherapy can be used in patients with low-risk tumors with a PSA <10 ng/mL, a Gleason <7, and a small prostate (<40 ml).

It represents a therapeutic alternative in patients whose general clinical condition contraindicates radiotherapy or surgery. In patients with a good life expectancy, it is important to provide adequate information about the fact that there is very little data on long-term survival and disease control.

The HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) method, on the other hand, uses the opposite physical principle to cryotherapy, i.e., high-intensity focused ultrasound that destroys the gland's cells through heat. The temperatures reached exceed 65°C and the tumor tissue is destroyed by coagulative necrosis triggered by the temperature rise. As with cryotherapy, candidate patients are those with localized prostate cancer who are not candidates for radical prostatectomy due to their age, concomitant diseases, or who refuse the surgical procedure. Again, there is still no data on long-term oncological outcomes after this procedure.

Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

In some patients, stereotactic body radiation therapy can also be used: a high-precision system that targets the area to be treated even more selectively, sparing even more of the surrounding healthy tissues. It reduces side effects after treatment of the primary tumor or small metastases.

Special techniques can also be used to perform partial breast irradiation and concentrate the radiation beam in an area defined by specific spatial coordinates.

[dt_sc_button title="Free Quote" size="medium" style="bordered" icon_type="" link="url:https%3A%2F%2F127.0.0.1/tds%2Fdevis%2F" textcolor="#ffffff" bgcolor="#0c73ba"]