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Salvage Radiotherapy After Radical Prostatectomy

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Radiotherapy in Prostate Cancer

Part of the book series: Medical Radiology ((Med Radiol Radiat Oncol))

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Abstract

Salvage radiation therapy is the sole curative treatment for patients experiencing biochemical relapse after radical surgical treatment of prostate cancer. The main dilemma in salvage radiation therapy is, whether or not biochemical relapse represents purely localized recurrent disease in the prostatic fossa or systemic micrometastasis. Initiating salvage radiation therapy at an early time point raises its chances of success, but may lead to overtreatment of patients. Target volume definition and treatment techniques are a matter of current research, with still many questions unanswered. Strategies of treatment escalation either by increasing the treatment dose or combining radiation therapy with androgen deprivation therapy are being addressed in clinical trials.

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The authors have no actual or potential conflict of interest related to this review. There are no financial disclosures from any author.

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Papachristofilou, A., Ghadjar, P., Zimmermann, F. (2013). Salvage Radiotherapy After Radical Prostatectomy. In: Geinitz, H., Roach III, M., van As, N. (eds) Radiotherapy in Prostate Cancer. Medical Radiology(). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/174_2013_939

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