The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology has published the second edition of Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer: Facts to Help Patients Make an Informed Decision, a treatment guide for prostate cancer patients and their families. The brochure explains how radiation therapy works in conjunction with other treatments to treat prostate cancer, in addition to giving them information on the different types of radiation therapy.


"Radiation therapy is a safe and effective way to treat prostate cancer and should be strongly considered by men when deciding on the treatment option that is best for their disease as well as their lifestyle," said Thomas Eichler, M.D., Chair of ASTRO's Communications Committee and a radiation oncologist at CJW Medical Center in Richmond, Va. "Being diagnosed with prostate cancer can be a frightening and confusing time for patients and their families. I hope this brochure will help patients to better understand their treatment options so they can make an informed decision and receive the best possible care."

Radiation therapy works to cure prostate cancer by damaging the cancer cells and their ability to multiply. When the cancerous cells die, the body naturally eliminates them. The brochure talks about how prostate cancer is diagnosed and explains the differences between the main types of prostate cancer treatments, including three-dimensional conformation radiation therapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy, proton beam therapy and brachytherapy.


This brochure is part of ASTRO's award-winning public awareness campaign to help educate patients, referring physicians and the public on the benefits of radiation therapy. This campaign includes 14 different brochures and a patient-dedicated Web site, www.rtanswers.org.


For a free copy of the brochure, please e-mail communications@astro.org. Non-profit cancer organizations may also order quantities of the brochure for their efforts. Reporters, please contact ASTRO for a screen shot of the brochure.

ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 8,500 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to the advancement of the practice of radiation oncology by promoting excellence in patient care, providing opportunities for educational and professional development, promoting research and disseminating research results and representing radiation oncology in a rapidly evolving socioeconomic healthcare environment.

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