Dr. Ward on Considerations for Salvage Radiation Therapy in Prostate Cancer

Matthew C. Ward, MD, radiation oncologist, Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, discusses considerations for salvage radiation therapy in prostate cancer.

In considering salvage radiation for a patient with prostate cancer, it is critical to look at the patient’s pathology report, margin status, disease stage, lymph node involvement, extent of node dissection, and final Gleason score, says Ward. In addition, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels can inform whether salvage radiation therapy should be indicated for a patient, Ward adds.

Patients with high PSA should receive an escalation in treatment, says Ward. However, each treatment decision requires a discussion with a patient to determine whether adding radiation therapy or androgen-deprivation therapy is optimal, Ward concludes.