Prostate Cancer Treatment

Men diagnosed with prostate cancer quickly discover that there are multiple ways to treat the disease. Choosing between surgery, radiation, or bracyhtherapy can seem daunting. Because better technology results in better outcomes, well-informed patients choose Willamette Valley Cancer Institute (WVCI) for prostate cancer treatment.

WVCI patients benefit from our superior prostate radiation technologies. We have the most advanced form of image guided radiotherapy available in the region. This technology precisely delivers the maximum radiation dose to the affected area while minimizing the impact on surrounding tissues. We also have the only radiation treatment machine in our region that conforms to quality guidelines published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. These technologies permit a better chance of a cure and a lower chance of unwanted side effects. No other provider in our region offers high dose rate brachytherapy which can shorten the length of time required to treat prostate cancer to a minimum of two days without extensive surgery.

In addition to our superior prostate radiation technology, WVCI offers multiple clinical research trials for men with all stages of prostate cancer. Through our affiliations with the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and US Oncology we are proud to provide patients with access to the latest breakthroughs in prostate cancer treatment.

We recognize that you have a choice when it comes to deciding where to receive treatment for prostate cancer. We invite you to explore our web page to learn more about prostate cancer and the treatments available at WVCI. If you have received your diagnosis elsewhere, do not commit to therapy without getting a second opinion from one of our prostate specialists. After learning more about the treatments WVCI offers, most patients find there is no reason to consider going anywhere else.

Why Choose WVCI for Prostate Radiation?

If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you may have been told that radiation treatment is more or less the same wherever you receive it. Unfortunately, this is not accurate. Advances in prostate radiation therapy have enabled more precise delivery of radiation to the affected tissue. This results in more effective therapy with fewer side effects. The physicians from Willamette Valley Cancer Institute (WVCI) utilize the latest technology to help patients with prostate cancer fight their disease. The following is an explanation of what differentiates our therapy from other providers in the region.

Image Guided Radiotherapy:

With standard radiotherapy, small marks are placed into the skin, and the radiation device is aligned to these spots before each treatment. Unfortunately, changes in the position of the skin relative to the prostate compromise accurate localization of the prostate. Furthermore, the prostate can move as much as a centimeter depending upon the fullness of the bladder. In years past, the solution was to radiate a larger area to make sure the prostate was adequately treated. This meant that more radiation was delivered to the bladder and the rectum causing unwanted side effects and less radiation was delivered to the prostate where it was needed most.

At WVCI we utilize the newest, most advanced radiation device with "On Board Imaging." Other providers of prostate radiation therapy in our region lack this vital technology. With this treatment breakthrough, the radiation machine takes pictures of the prostate immediately before each treatment. Knowing exactly where the prostate is allows treatment to be precisely delivered exactly where it is needed with less effect on surrounding tissues. Changes in bladder fullness or skin position no longer interfere with optimal prostate treatment.

Beam Strength:

Different radiation machines use different strengths of radiation known as "beam strength" which is measured in megavolts (MV). As radiation passes through skin, soft tissue, and bone en route to the prostate, the radiation beam becomes less focused and more "scattered." Even when radiation is precisely aimed at the prostate, the "scattered" radiation results in less energy delivered to the prostate where it is needed, and more radiation to the bladder and rectum where it causes side effects. Lower strength radiation devices are more prone to "scatter" particularly with organs closer to the center of the body such as the prostate.

Guidelines published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology¹ and subsequently endorsed in Urologic Oncology² recommend that treatment for prostate cancer utilize beam strength of 10MV. At WVCI, we have the only prostate radiation treatment device that conforms to this recommendation within our region. If you are considering receiving treatment for prostate cancer elsewhere, ask your doctor if their radiation device is 6MV or 10MV.

High Dose Rate Brachytherapy:

For some men, neither surgery nor external beam radiation seems like the right answer. High dose rate brachytherapy is an option that should be considered. With this technology, the radiation is not applied from outside of the body toward the prostate. Instead, expert radiation oncologists insert a series of tiny catheters into the prostate through which precisely calculated doses of radiation are administered to individual regions of the prostate. The entire duration of radiation therapy can be reduced to as few as two days. Often, impotence and incontinence may be significantly reduced compared to surgery. WVCI is the only local provider of prostate cancer therapy capable of offering this innovative technique.

On Site Treatment Planning:

Creating a personalized prostate cancer radiation treatment plan for each individual patient involves a process called "dosimetry" performed by a skilled technician called a "dosimetrist." During a course of radiation therapy for prostate cancer, the dosimetrist monitors the amount of radiation delivered to the prostate and surrounding tissues and works closely with the radiation oncologist to make small adjustments to the radiation treatment plan. This ensures the maximal radiation delivered to the prostate while protecting the surrounding structures from radiation side effects.

At WVCI, we have dosimetrists that work on site to closely monitor each patient's progress. At other radiation treatment facilities in our area, dosimetry is outsourced to "off site" technicians completely removed from daily contact with the patients they are monitoring. We believe the personalized attention we are able to provide ensures the best outcomes for our patients. If you do not know your dosimetrist by name - they may not know yours.

World Class Research:

Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) is the premiere worldwide research organization evaluating the latest breakthrough technologies and treatments for prostate cancer. WVCI has successfully partnered with RTOG to bring practice changing clinical trials to our patients. WVCI has been one of the most successful community oncology practices to partner with RTOG allowing patients to participate in the research studies conducted at major academic centers without ever leaving our area.

In addition to our radiation research, we participate in numerous drug therapy studies through our relationship with US Oncology. Many of the most promising drugs for prostate cancer will be available through clinical research studies at WVCI before they are available elsewhere. If you are interested in participating in a clinical research study schedule an appointment to see one of our physicians.

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