SBRT Compresses Prostate Cancer Treatment into 5 Sessions

Orlando Health Cancer Institute has implemented stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for prostate cancer, offering patients another treatment option to fight their disease.

An advanced form of radiation therapy, SBRT utilizes higher doses of radiation per day than the standard regimen. While a conventional course for prostate cancer involves up to nine weeks of daily fractionated radiation treatments, SBRT compresses this modality into five sessions utilizing intense doses. When combined with a hydrogel spacer such as SpaceOAR to create a protective barrier, SBRT can be safely and effectively delivered with adequate protection to rectal tissue from radiation injury. 

“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 Akash Nanda, MD, PhD, director of urologic and hematologic radiation oncology at Orlando Health Cancer Institute. “Furthermore, SBRT is convenient and non-invasive, and therefore a great option for those patients who are eligible for this treatment.”

Experts at delivering SBRT to cancers in the lung, spine, bone, liver and pancreas, Orlando Health specialists offered this modality to their first prostate patient in January 2022.  “We can’t say prostate SBRT is a one-size-fits-all offering,” says Dr. Nanda. “While compelling in terms of saving time, SBRT must be carefully constructed and delivered due to the high radiation doses involved. The right treatment modality will depend on each individual case, taking into account age, medical conditions, prostate size, urinary problems and stage of disease.”

Orlando Health offers prostate patients a diverse portfolio of diagnostic and treatment options, including:

• Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET imaging
• SBRT
• Proton therapy
• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)

“In addition to state-of-the-art technology, we also treat in a multidisciplinary environment,” says Dr. Nanda. “We collaborate with subspecialists in medical and urologic oncology to develop the best treatment option for any given patient, backed by the best evidence.” 

The Orlando Health Cancer Institute is accredited by the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) Commission on Cancer (CoC), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Quality Outpatient Practice Initiative (QOPI), the American College of Radiation (ACR)/American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and is among fewer than 50 programs in the nation recognized by the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) of the American College of Surgeons.