Kent Yip1, N. Jane Taylor2, J James Stirling2, Ian C. Simcock2, Uma Patel1, Nihal Shah1, Peter Ostler1, James A. d'Arcy3, David J. Collins3, Peter J. Hoskin
1Marie Curie Research Wing, Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 2RN, United Kingdom; 2Paul Strickland Scanner Centre, Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 2RN, United Kingdom; 3CRUK-EPSRC Cancer Imaging Centre, Institute of Cancer Research & Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT, United Kingdom
The use of doses much higher than the conventional 2Gy/fraction during stereotoactic radiotherapy (SBRT) has allowed radiotherapy courses to be significantly shortened from weeks to days. It is increasingly being used in the treatment of localised prostate cancer. From a radiobiology perspective, the lack of time for re-oxygenation to take place during the much shortened duration of treatment may compromise its effectiveness. In this study, based on data obtained from functional MRI imaging, we have shown that there is a significant degree of re-oxygenation in the irradiated prostate during SBRT, and that this is accompanied by transient prostate gland hypervascularity.