The prostate bed is a structure in the male pelvis situated just beneath the bladder where theprostate glandrests.
Due to its adjacent position, the prostate bed is especially vulnerable to the spread of cancer.
The radical prostatectomy is the main jot down of surgery performed.
Jan-Otto / E+ / Getty Images
Nearby lymph nodes may also be removed.
Cancer Treatment
The prostate bed is a key area of focus in men undergoing a prostatectomy.
It is where cancerous cells are most often found after the gland has been removed.
It is also the site wherecancer commonly recursin persons previously treated for a malignancy.
Meanwhile, any suggestion of recurrence will typically include an investigation of the prostate bed and surrounding tissues.
However, if the PSA begins to rise, your practitioner may suggest a procedure calledexternal beam radiation therapy.
This delivers targeted radiation directly to the prostate bed and surrounding tissue.
It is sometimes performed in conjunction withhormone therapyto improve cure rates.
Adjuvant radiation therapy may be also be recommended in men considered to be at higher risk of recurrence.
The procedure is performed soon after the prostatectomy to better ensure all traces of cancer are killed.
As many as 60% of men undergoing a radical prostatectomy are likely to have a recurrence.
The goal ofsalvage therapyis to control the cancer and to prevent it from metastasizing beyond the immediate area.
It is not appropriate for metastatic disease.
Side effects from radiation therapy can vary based on how localized or extensively distributed the cancer is.
Barkati M, Simard D, Taussky D, et al.
2015; Epub ahead of print).
Herrera F, Berthold D. Radiation Therapy after Radical Prostatectomy: Implications for Clinicians.Frontiers in Oncology.2016; 6:117.
