How much radiation will a patient normally receive from EBRT? Do you recommend either EBRT or conformal 3D radiation?
Typical dose for pre-implant EBRT is 4500 cGy. All radiation therapy performed today is 3 D (multiple fields). The initial fields for this treatment are purposely designed to treat the prostate, seminal vesicles and occasionally the lymph nodes. Standard EBRT is given daily, treating four fields, anterior, posterior, left and right laterals. Because we are often attempting to treat a region around the prostate, conformal therapy with more than four fields is often not indicated. Conformal 3 D (more than four fields) external beam radiation is used to treat just the prostate. With this technique, multiple fields and sophisticated blocking are done to avoid high doses to the rectum and bladder. It is used often after the 4500 cGy conventional radiation to deliver the boost dose to the prostate. Since patients receiving combined external beam and seed implantation receive their boost dose from the implant, initial conformal 3D therapy is usually not necessary.
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