[Radiation therapy for prostate cancer].
In Japan, where the mortality rate of prostate cancer is lower than in Western countries, radical prostatectomy or hormonal therapy has been applied more frequently than radiation therapy. However, the number of patients with prostate cancer has been increasing recently and the importance of radiation therapy has rapidly been recognized. Although there have been no randomized trials, results from several institutions in Western countries suggest that similar results of cancer control are achieved with either radiation therapy or radical prostatectomy. For higher-risk cases, conformal high-dose therapy or adjuvant hormonal therapy is more appropriate. In this article, the results of radiation therapy for prostate cancer were reviewed, with a view to the appropriate choice of therapy in Japan.
Nakamura
K
K
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University.
D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000628:therapy; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant