Because SBRT is convenient and non-invasive, it is a great option for many patients. Through consultation with our oncologists, you will find the treatment that is right for you. This will depend on several factors including your age, medical conditions, prostate size, urinary problems and stage of disease. Another of our advanced treatment options is proton therapy, which uses protons to attack tumors, with minimal damage to healthy tissues.
The SBRT course of treatment typically involves five sessions administered over the course of about two weeks. After the initial consultation, you will need seven visits to the institute, which includes one to place fiducial markers and SpaceOAR, and one for radiation treatment planning.
To achieve the level of precision needed for the therapy, our specialists will use advanced imaging techniques, including MRIs, and markers implanted into the prostate to map out the treatment. The radiation beam is further guided by X-ray images and cone-beam CT technology. Our team will also use a protective hydrogel, SpaceOAR, placed between the prostate and the rectum to prevent unintended damage to the rectal wall.
Orlando Health cancer experts use SBRT technology for other cancers, including:
- Lung cancer
- Liver cancer
- Bone cancer
- Spine cancer
Conventional radiation therapy is split into small doses, delivered over approximately eight weeks of daily treatments. But with SBRT, that timeline is compressed into only five sessions,. This allows patients to spend far less time in treatment.
The ability to deliver SBRT depends on the availability of advanced techniques relying on special technology to immobilize and monitor the patient, and to reliably deliver intense doses of radiation with pinpoint accuracy. One of the keys to the treatment is utilization of SpaceOAR, a hydrogel spacer that helps to shield the rectum from the radiation.
