New prostate cancer tools at Orlando Health shorten treatment

An innovative prostate cancer treatment now offered at the Orlando Health Cancer Institute provides men with new options to fight the disease.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) allows doctors to deliver radiation in five intense doses and on a faster schedule than traditional treatments.

In conjunction with SBRT, radiation oncologists use SpaceOAR, a high-tech gel barrier that temporarily creates space between the prostate and the rectal wall. The additional space helps protect the rectum from unintentional damage by the radiation treatments, which can lead to side effects such as diarrhea, pain and bleeding.

“Prostate cancer cells may be more sensitive to higher doses of radiation per treatment, highlighting a possible advantage of SBRT over other types of radiation,” says Dr. Akash Nanda, director of urologic and hematologic radiation oncology at the Orlando Health Cancer Institute. “SBRT also is convenient and non-invasive, making it a great option for some patients.”

What’s different?

Conventional radiation therapy is split into small doses, delivered daily up to nine weeks. But with SBRT, that timeline is compressed into five sessions, using intense doses. This enables patients to complete treatment in about two weeks.

SBRT is not a one-size-fits all solution for every man with prostate cancer. Orlando Health oncologists evaluate each case individually.  The right treatment for any given patient will depend on several factors, including age, medical conditions, prostate size, urinary problems and stage of disease.

“The use of SpaceOAR to better protect the rectum from radiation injury has made it possible for us to now safely offer SBRT to patients,” Dr. Nanda says.

How it works

Made mostly of water, SpaceOAR is a soft, non-toxic gel that has been used successfully with other procedures. When treating prostate cancer, doctors inject a liquid between the prostate and the rectum to create a temporary barrier between the two organs. This liquid hardens quickly into a gel, creating a barrier of about half-an-inch — a large enough gap when it comes to exacting radiation treatments.

The gel lasts about three months. After about six months, it naturally absorbs into the body and eventually passes through the urinary tract.

Experts at delivering SBRT to cancers in the lung, spine, bone, liver and pancreas, Orlando Health specialists offered this treatment to their first prostate patient in January 2022. 

SEE YOUR DOCTOR WITH THESE SYMPTOMS:

• Frequent or painful urination
• Difficulty starting or stopping urine stream
• Trouble maintaining an erection
• Blood in urine or semen
• Pain or pressure in the rectum