Dr. Rajiv Dahiya, is a board-certified radiation oncologist who specializes in the treatment of prostate cancers. The prostate gland is a part of the male anatomy. It is an organ located just below the bladder and anterior to last part of the rectum.
Older men, 65 years or older are likely to develop pathologies of the gland. It can ultimately lead to the development of a prostate cancer.
About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. There are a number of treatments that may help treat the pathology successfully. Radiation therapy is used as a successful treatment of prostate cancer. It involves the
use of high-energy beams that are directed onto the cancer site. The radiation helps to shrink and eliminate cancer, often curing the disease and leaving the patient cancer-free. The most common types of treatments we recommend for prostate
cancer include, brachytherapy, image-guided radiation therapy (IMRT), stereotactic radiosurgery, and proton therapy.
Types of Radiation therapy for prostate cancer
Depending on the stage of the tumor, there are different approaches of therapy that are used separately or in combination for your treatment. Dr. Rajiv Dahiya will work with you to determine what type of therapy will work best for you. The different
approaches are:
- Internal radiation/Brachytherapy by radioactive seed implantation
- External beam radiation; involves targeting your prostate from outside of the body. Include Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery.
IMRT, an advanced form of 3D-CRT therapy, is the most common type of external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer. It uses a computer-driven machine that moves around the patient as it delivers radiation. Research published in the Journal of
Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology in 2015 shows that external-beam radiation therapy is a highly effective treatment option for prostate cancer.
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
IMRT is a type of external beam radiation therapy where after precise detection of the shape, size, and location of your prostate cancer. High dose radiations are precisely targeted to the affected area while protecting the surrounding healthy tissue.
Dr. Rajiv Dahiya, along with his team will go through your case to plan and decide the amount of radiation you will get. He will guide you with the necessary care you will need to help with the unwanted side effects during and after the radiotherapy.
Procedure:
The procedure precedes a great deal of planning. It starts with a detailed medical history, examination, and imaging to confirm the diagnosis through different tools. Imaging tests used are X-rays, CT scans, MRI, and PET scans to detect metabolically active
cancer cells.
The radiotherapist performs a simulation session which is a rehearsal session before scheduling the first session. In this session, the cancerous site is marked with colored ink. This marked surface will help the radiotherapist target the rays on the exact treatment
area during the future sessions as well. Each treatment session takes between 10 to 30 minutes.
How effective is radiotherapy:
Treatment of localized prostate cancer using IMRT with a dose of 78-82 Gy yielded an excellent 5-year tumor control with a risk of clinical relapse being less than 5%.
What to expect after IMRT:
During the radiation therapy, you may experience mild fatigue, urinary frequency and discomfort and changes in bowel habits that typically resolve in the next two to six weeks. Dr. Dahiya will help you manage these side effects.
Contact
You can always contact Dr. Rajiv Dahiya at www.rajivdahiyamd.com or www.urologyclinics.com/providers/raj-dahiya-md
