External beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer

Men with non-metastatic prostate cancer have many treatment options. For ov er 35 years, radiation therapy has been a mainstay of treatment for this di sease. With improvements in technology and better use of pretreatment progn ostic factors, such as prostate specific antigen level and Gleason score, b iochemical and clinical results have steadily improved. This article reviews the current status of radiation therapy in the treatme nt of prostate cancer. Results of treatment utilizing three-dimensional con formal and conventional techniques are compared and contrasted. The appropr iate use of adjuvant hormones and particle beam therapy in the management o f this disease is also discussed. Finally, the toxicity and future directio ns of radiation therapy in the treatment of prostate cancer are addressed.