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Radiation for Prostate Cancer

Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, uses various forms of radiation to safely and effectively treat prostate cancer. Learn more about the many options for radiation to treat prostate cancer.

Man laying on table about to receive radiation

Types of radiation

Radiation therapy can be given externally (directed from outside the body) or internally (placed inside the body).

External Beam Radiation (EBRT)

EBRT involves treating the prostate and the pelvic region with radiation in daily doses. Most EBRT is delivered using x-ray photons (with the exception of proton beam therapy). This radiation is the same kind used for an X-ray or CT scan, except that the amount of energy used is much higher.

Internal Radiation Therapy

Internal radiation therapy comes in two types: brachytherapy and radiopharmaceuticals. Although they both involve placing radioactive materials inside the body, they are different options, used for different stages of the disease. Both low and high dose brachytherapy are used for localized prostate cancer. Radiopharmaceuticals are a medicine used to treat prostate cancer that has spread, or metastasized, often to the bone.

External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT)

Internal radiation

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