Radiation Therapy

Produced by a machine called a linear accelerator, short and targeted bursts of x-rays are fired at the cancer. During radiation treatment, the prostate gland can move because of breathing and normal movement in the intestines. Previously, to compensate for the movement and make sure the entire tumor was treated, radiation oncologists had to expand the treatment area. This meant healthy tissue near the tumor was also affected during treatment. The Center for Advanced Targeted Radiation Therapy at the Swedish Cancer Institute (SCI) uses these advanced, targeted external radiation therapies to more accurately pinpoint the cancer while sparing as much normal tissue as possible.

Calypso® 4D Localization System

Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)

Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT)