Dr. Yu on Emerging Standards in Radiation for Prostate Cancer

James B. Yu, MD, associate professor, therapeutic oncology, director, Prostate and Genitourinary Cancer Radiotherapy Program, Yale Cancer Center, discusses emerging standards in radiation for the treatment of patients with prostate cancer.

The current standard is external beam radiation therapy, says Yu. Also, hydrogel spacer has spread rapidly and is a standard of care for prostate radiotherapy to space the rectum away from the prostate. Randomized studies now show a quality of life benefit for not only bowel toxicity, but urinary and sexual toxicity as well.

The other current standard is moderate hypofractionation. More evidence has not accrued, but as more physicians are using it and becoming comfortable with it, it is an option for patients. Three major large randomized studies show it is equivalent to standard fractionation for low- and intermediate-risk disease.