Radiotherapy for T3 prostate cancer

Throughout the past decade, significant improvements in optimizing the management of T3 prostate cancer have been made. Phase III randomized studies have demonstrated the superiority of combined hormone therapy and radiation therapy over radiation therapy alone. Radiotherapy dose escalation using conformal techniques has improved local control and lowered toxicity. These advances have changed the approach to treatment of T3 prostate cancer from that directed at palliation of symptoms to earlier interventions directed at prolongation of survival. The contemporary role of radiation therapy in clinical T3 prostate cancer in the context of other treatment options is reviewed in this article.