At PAMF, we provide the latest prostate cancer treatment options. Among the first outpatient facilities in the United States to offer advanced radiation techniques such as three-dimensional treatment planning and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), PAMF continues to be an early adopter of the most innovative, cost-effective technology that precisely targets the cancer while limiting side effects.

As a prostate cancer patient at PAMF who has chosen radiation therapy, you will receive an individualized treatment plan based on computed tomography (CT) scans and a pre-therapy simulation. This information is then used to ensure accuracy and precision throughout the course of therapy.

More recently, the Departments of Urology and Radiation Oncology are placing non-radioactive markers into the prostate to improve daily accuracy of treatment. The Department of Urology also uses advanced robotic devices to enhance the precision of minimally invasive laparoscopic prostate cancer surgery in selected patients. The Department of Medical Oncology plays an active role in coordinating care for prostate cancer patients and offers a state-of-the-art infusion center.

PAMF also works with experts in brachytherapy, a treatment option in which radioactive seeds are placed in or near the tumor, giving a radiation dose to the tumor while reducing the radiation exposure in the surrounding healthy tissues. PAMF coordinates the care of patients undergoing brachytherapy and provides external beam radiation therapy as necessary.

When a patient is diagnosed with prostate cancer, the biggest decision to make is between three treatment options:

• Radiation therapy
  
• Surgery (radical prostatectomy)
  
• Watchful waiting

Last reviewed January 2008