Have prostate cancer,told i need radiotherapy.how is this given please.?

Answer 1

Read through this it tells you loads of info. Get well soon xx

Answer 2

As opposed to giving the google answer for radiotherapy i see so often on here, i'll answer your actual question.

You will be seen by the clinical oncologist, as it appears you already have been. They will tell you in what fractions your dose will be delivered. In some cases this is on a weekly basis, in other cases, as a week long daily treatment with breaks (weekends)in between(this is the most common type, and may last for several weeks), depending on the results they expect to achieve, as well as the size and shape of the prostate.

You will be tattoo'd with dots on the skin to help orientate the equipment each day you attend. The machine the radiotherapy is given on is not dissimilar in size to the CT scanner you'll be familiar with. You will not notice the radiation has been given, and will be able to move off the table in around a minute, very much like a normal x-ray.

For most of the weeks, you should be side effect free, but the last 2-3 weeks often see a increased need to urinate and to pass tools as the two structures closest to the prostate are the rectum and bladder.

I wish you all the best.

Answer 3

Radiotherapy is the use of x-rays and similar rays (such as electrons) to treat disease.

Since the discovery of x-rays over one hundred years ago, radiation has been used more and more in medicine, both to help with diagnosis (by taking pictures with x-rays), and as a treatment (radiotherapy). While radiation obviously has to be used very carefully, doctors and radiographers have a lot of experience in its use in medicine.

Many people with cancer will have radiotherapy as part of their treatment. This can be given either as external radiotherapy from outside the body using x-rays or from within the body as internal radiotherapy.

Radiotherapy works by destroying the cancer cells in the treated area. Although normal cells are also sometimes damaged by the radiotherapy, they can repair themselves.

Radiotherapy treatment can cure some cancers and can reduce the chance of a cancer coming back after surgery. It may be used to reduce cancer symptoms.

Some people find that the side effects are very mild and that they just feel tired during their course of radiotherapy treatment.

Answer 4

It depends how good the radiation therapist is and how modern the equipment is. At our hospital, we use radioactive bead implants and its fairly easy on the pt. They put you to sleep and inject the radiation right into you prostate thru the rectum or peritoneum. It takes a urologist and a radiation doctor to do this in surgery. They are pretty quick and the pt goes home in 24 hours.

Answer 5

my dad had this, the hospital drew indelibly on his body where the radiotherapy machine was to aim for, then it was like sunburn, but the worst side effect for him was because it irritated part of his bowel (between skin and prostate) it caused diarohhea. Also the tiredness (but he was in his late 70's!) is cumulative.
Hope you get better soonest! Good luck

Answer 6

i HOPE EVERY THING WORKS OUT FOR YOU. MY DAD HAD THIS LAST YEAR BUT OPTED FOR HIS PROSTATE TO BE REMOVED. They have allsorts of info for you inc radiotherapy. I have raised over £1000 this year for Prostate Cancer, its close to my heart. Get well soon.

Answer 7

you Will need around 28-30 tx,they only radiate the pelvic field area,you will have bowel/bladder problems going thru tx,you will feel tired,tx is given mon-fri x around 6wks,you will only lose hair in pelvic region,can have burn like effects to skin in pelvic region,tx daily take about 10mins or less.you may also have nausea/vomiting