High-dose radiation boost for aggressive prostate cancer

This study is testing a newer form of radiation therapy called stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) as a potential replacement for a traditional invasive treatment called high dose rate brachytherapy. If you have aggressive or high-risk prostate cancer, you would receive standard radiation therapy to your whole pelvis, plus five short, high-dose treatments that are aimed very precisely at your prostate using imaging and tiny gold markers to track movement. The goal is to see if this method works as well as the traditional approach while causing fewer side effects.

Traditional radiation boosts for aggressive prostate cancer involve placing needles inside the prostate, which can be uncomfortable and carries risks. Researchers want to know whether this newer, needle-free approach can deliver the same cancer-fighting power with better safety and quality of life.