Reducing bowel side effects from proton cancer radiation therapy

This trial is testing whether a specialized computer technique called "Spot Delete" can reduce uncomfortable bowel and bladder side effects from proton therapy — a type of radiation treatment for prostate cancer. Proton therapy is already an effective cancer treatment, but it can sometimes cause side effects like diarrhea, bowel urgency, and urinary problems. The new technique works by instructing the radiation beam to avoid sensitive areas of your bowel and rectum during treatment planning.

Proton therapy for prostate cancer works well to kill cancer cells, but patients sometimes experience lasting bowel and bladder problems afterward. This trial exists to see whether the new "Spot Delete" technique can reduce these side effects while still delivering the same effective cancer treatment.