Different types of radiotherapy treatments - Breast cancer survivor

How Can The European Code Against Cancer Keep People Well?

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Anyone with a good knowledge of cancer medicine knows that there are many different types of radiotherapy treatment. This enables providers like us to select the most appropriate approach for each patient and condition to ensure the best care.

While that can bring benefits ranging from palliative pain relief to full remission, there is no doubt that prevention is better than cure.

Indeed, while there are many forms of radiotherapy to treat different conditions, this very fact is a reminder that there are numerous types of cancer. While some are easier to treat than others, if they can be prevented, this is by far the best outcome.

A strong understanding of the causes and risks involved can, when transformed into the appropriate actions, reduce the incidence of many cancers. This requires strong knowledge not just among medical professionals, but also the wider public.

What Is The European Code Against Cancer?

The European Code against Cancer represents an initiative that aims to do exactly that. An initiative of the European Commission, it was first published in 1987 and the current (2026) edition is the fifth, replacing the 4th edition produced in 2014.

Each edition has incorporated the latest knowledge about each form of cancer covered by the code. Work began on the latest version in 2022.

The code contains “14 recommendations based on current scientific evidence on personal behavioural factors, environmental factors and medical interventions” aimed at preventing cancer.

Knowledge of these can empower people so that they are more likely to stay cancer-free, with some of them being fairly simple steps and others more concerted.

What Lifestyle Changes Can Help To Lower Your Cancer Risk?

Among the more basic recommendations for lifestyle changes are:

  • Not smoking and keeping your home smoke-free to avoid ‘passive smoking’ by non-smokers
  • Avoid being overweight by cutting down on food and drink that is processed, high in fat, or high in sugar
  • Be more active, by sitting less and exercising more
  • Have a healthier diet, with less red meat and lots of whole grains, legumes, fruit and vegetables
  • Avoid alcohol
  • Breastfeed babies for as long as possible
  • Limit sun exposure
  • Take steps to avoid air pollution, which ranges from less car use to not burning solid fuels in the fire
  • Vaccination against cancer-causing infections like the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Hepatitis B
  • Be aware of cancer-causing factors at work and ensure your employer takes steps to protect against them
  • Avoid radon gas exposure
  • Limiting the use of hormone replacement therapy after menopause
  • Participation in cancer screening programmes

How Do Cancer Risk Factors Vary Between People?

This is an extensive list and the relevance of it will vary. For example, radon exposure will be much less of a concern for most people than exposure to air pollution, while sun exposure poses a greater skin cancer risk to those with lighter skin.

At the same time, factors such as diet, cutting down alcohol, getting plenty of exercise and not smoking are steps everyone can take.

The list also highlights the varied ways in which cancer can occur. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some sceptics made a habit of posing the question of why, if vaccines developed in a matter of months were so effective, nobody had come up with an anti-cancer vaccine.

In reality, cancer has many causes and in cases where viruses are responsible, such as HPV leading to cervical cancer, vaccines are available. But vaccines help the immune system fight viruses, not bad food, UV radiation or inhaled carcinogens.

The updating of advice can also help people make choices they might not have made a few years ago.

For example, it has long been known that smoking can cause cancer and smoking rates have been dropping. But many non-smokers have still been filling their homes with airborne carcinogens by using wood-burning stoves.

Once hailed as a ‘green’ alternative to fossil fuels, research has shown that wood burners are now one of the biggest sources of air particle pollution, with this diminishing air quality both inside and outside homes, the latter being a more concentrated problem in cities.

Why Is Cancer Screening More Valuable Than Ever?

Apart from these considerations, it makes more sense than ever to take part in screening programmes. Advances in screening technology and techniques, aided by innovations such as AI, make it easier to detect and diagnose cancer at an early stage.

While prevention is the best way to stop cancer, early detection is the second best. It enables swift intervention to take place, reducing the chances of metastasis (secondary cancer) developing and increasing the likelihood of beating the disease.

If screening does show cancer, you may still need one of the many types of radiotherapy. But early detection could mean the course of treatment is a lot shorter and more effective than it would otherwise have been.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy and neurosurgical treatments for different cancers on the Amethyst Group website.

radiotherapy centre - Doctor with human Colon anatomy

What Are The Signs Of Colorectal Cancer & How Is It Treated?

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In general, early diagnosis is a key factor in improving the prognosis of any cancer treatment, but nowhere is this more apparent than in colorectal cancer.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and given how many people it affects and just how important early diagnosis is to maximising the access and availability of treatments, awareness is extremely vital.

Everyone plays their role in fighting cancer, from clinics that specialise in state-of-the-art treatments to people who have been diagnosed, their family, friends, loved ones and anyone who spreads the word to raise awareness and inspire people to get themselves checked out.

Like many types of cancer, it can be difficult to see the early signs, but in the interest of public health, here are some of the early signs to look out for, the importance of early screening and how it works, how it would be diagnosed and how we would typically treat it.

What Is Colorectal Cancer?

Colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer, is any cancer that affects the colon or rectum, which together form the large intestine and the final part of the digestive system. This does not include the anus following the rectum, nor the small intestine which absorbs nutrients from food.

The large intestine typically absorbs water from food and drink, and anything that cannot be digested is moved to the rectum, where it is removed from the body. It is a very important part of the body, and bowel cancer can have major effects on people’s lives.

Exactly how serious it is depends on how it spreads, your overall digestive health and how the cancer growth has developed. Early-stage bowel cancer is often easier to treat and can significantly improve patient outcomes.

Early Signs Of Bowel Cancer

As with many early signs of cancer, a one-off or short-term occurrence of any of these symptoms may not be a sign of cancer, as some of them are particularly common and often have other causes.

However, if you cannot account for any of these or you have any of these symptoms for three weeks or more, consult a doctor.

  • Sudden changes in your bowel movements, such as needing to go to the toilet more or less often than normal, in a way that is very easily noticeable.
  • Constipation if that is not normal for you, or otherwise feeling like you need to go to the toilet even after you have been.
  • Diarrhoea if that is not typical for you, nor can be explained by your diet.
  • Stomach aches.
  • Bloating feelings.
  • A lump in your stomach.
  • Bleeding from your bottom
  • Blood in your stool, which is typically red but may be black.
  • Fatigue and shortness of breath, which can be signs of colorectal cancer-caused anaemia.
  • Weight loss that is not otherwise accounted for.

How Is Colorectal Cancer Diagnosed?

The first stage of diagnosis is to consult a doctor, typically a GP, who will discuss your symptoms with you, explain the possible causes, examine your medical and family history to see if you are at further risk, and rule out any other medical conditions.

They will also typically examine you, usually through a rectal examination, to check for lumps or anything else unusual that could be a sign of colorectal cancer.

If there are any concerns, they will typically arrange for a series of tests of your blood and stool in order to check for unusual markers that would be characteristic of cancer.

These include a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) or a test for inflammation in the bowel itself.

How Does Colorectal Cancer Screening Work?

There is also a national bowel cancer screening programme in the UK, offered to anyone aged between 50 and 74.

This test, which can be done at home, is an FIT test that checks for potential early warning signs of cancer. Once again, the earlier it is detected, the more options there are for treatment, and there is far greater potential for less invasive treatments to be effective.

How Is Colorectal Cancer Treated?

The treatment options for colorectal cancer will depend on where the cancer originated and was found. Bowel cancer is typically divided into:

  • Colon cancer, which originates in the large intestine.
  • Rectal cancer, which starts in the rectum and the back passage.

As both are very common and can vary considerably depending on how they progress, your treatment plan can vary considerably, although radiotherapy and chemotherapy are often options either individually or together.

Sometimes this takes the form of external beam radiotherapy, whilst in other cases it can involve the use of internal radiotherapy implants in a treatment known as brachytherapy.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy and neurosurgical treatments for colorectal cancer, as well as other cancers, on the Amethyst Group website.

Gamma knife surgery - Medical diagnostics

What Can Be Learned from Brain Tumour Awareness Month?

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There are many themed months connected to various topics of importance or interest, but when it comes to issues of cancer medicine, March is all about raising awareness of brain cancer.

Brain Tumour Awareness Month will do just that and will serve a very important purpose, for this is a kind of cancer not always talked about a lot, with plenty of terminology that a lay person may be confused by.

In addition, not everyone knows about the symptoms that could be used to produce an early diagnosis, or the forms of treatment on offer, such as Gamma Knife surgery.

What Are The Different Kinds Of Brain Tumour?

The first thing to be aware of with brain tumours is the basic distinction between primary and secondary tumours. A primary tumour means that it is the original cancer and is located where it started.

In the case of a secondary tumour, this arises from cancer that started elsewhere in the body and subsequently went through a process called metastasis, where cancer cells spread beyond their original location through the bloodstream or the lymph nodes.

There are also some different kinds of brain tumour, defined by the location and where they began. There are over 100 different types, but many of these are very rare. Common forms include meningiomas, which start in the meninges, the tissues that surround the brain.

Gliomas, starting in the glial cells in the brain and spinal cord, are the most common primary malignant brain tumours, although meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumour overall.

  • Glioblastomas, which are the most common glioma and are very aggressive and fast-growing
  • Astrocytomas, which arise in star-shaped cells called astrocytes and are caused by a mutation in the IDH1 or IDH2 genes
  • Oligodendrogliomas, which are rare and slow-growing tumours arising from the Oligodendrocyte cells

Tumours are also classed on a grading system of 1-4, based on how aggressive they are, with Grade 1 being the slowest growth and Grade 4 being the fastest. For example:

  • Glioblastomas are grade 4 tumours
  • Astrocytomas can be grade 2,3 or 4
  • Oligodendrogliomas are usually a slow-growing grade 2, but sometimes can be grade 3, a subtype known as anaplastic oligodendroglioma

What Signs Can Help To Diagnose A Brain Tumour?

Whatever grade a tumour is, the best patient outcomes – and the widest range of possible treatment options – can be facilitated by early diagnosis.

As they grow, tumours can start pressing against the brain or spinal cord, impeding functions. The exact effects may depend on where the tumour is located, as different parts of the brain are associated with specific functions.

Nonetheless, the following may all be signs of a possible brain tumour:

  • Headaches
  • Seizures
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Vision problems such as blurred eyesight
  • A weak or numb feeling on one side of the body
  • Cognitive or personality changes
  • Memory loss

Anyone experiencing one or more of these symptoms should seek medical attention. A CT or MRI scan can reveal if a tumour is present.

What Are The Treatment Options For A Brain Tumour?

If you have been diagnosed with a brain tumour, there are several possible means by which it can be treated:

  • Surgery to remove part or all of it
  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiotherapy

The particular kind of radiotherapy normally used is called stereotactic radiotherapy, which is designed to focus very intense doses of radiation on the affected area with great precision.

It can sometimes be used after a tumour is removed to tackle any remaining cells, a process known as adjuvant radiotherapy.

However, when most, or even all, of the tumour remains in place because its location makes surgical removal impossible, the focus will be on using radiotherapy to shrink the tumour.

What Is Gamma Knife?

This is where Gamma Knife can be a particularly effective device. Invented by Swedish neuroscientist Lars Leksell in the 1960s, it is not a knife in the physical sense, but a device that can project very powerful beams of gamma radiation with high levels of precision.

This has the dual benefit of maximising the radiation dose to the tumour while minimising exposure to surrounding healthy brain tissue, which limits the side effects.

Radiotherapy can be highly effective in shrinking tumours. It works by damaging the DNA of the cancer, which makes it harder to multiply and spread.

This treatment does come with some side effects, which can include hair loss, tiredness, sore skin and nausea. However, many of these will diminish after treatment. For example, your hair will start growing back.

Being diagnosed with a brain tumour can be a major life event. However, increased awareness can be very helpful for patients and their families, partly because it enables earlier diagnosis to take place, but also to help understand what treatments are available.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy and neurosurgical treatments for brain tumours on the Amethyst Group website.

Private radiotherapy - Oncological lung cancer disease concept

How Can Radiotherapy Tackle Lung Cancer In Non-Smokers?

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The use of private radiotherapy has proved invaluable in treating a myriad of different types of cancer over the years. What was originally no more than a palliative treatment can now greatly extend life or even fully cure a wide range of cancers.

Among the many changes to cancer care have been a growing understanding of how radiation works, improved scanning and diagnosis, as well as enhanced technology to provide doses in a more optimal way, all leading to better patient outcomes.

At the same time, however, the types of cancer being treated have varied and will continue to do so. Some have become less common, while others have increased in frequency.

Why Do Some Non-Smokers Get Lung Cancer?

However, while lung cancer is commonly associated with smoking, it is not always the case that a sufferer is a current or even past smoker. There is a rising tide of lung cancer among non-smokers that requires its own approach to diagnostics, risk assessment and treatment.

A non-smoker may suffer the disease because of extensive passive smoking by being in a smoky environment, but, increasingly, these situations are rare outside the homes of smokers, as many countries have banned smoking indoors in public places.

However, as the European Medical Journal (EMJ) has highlighted, there is a specific group whose lung cancers owe nothing to smoking.

Those who tend to be affected by this form of lung cancer are more likely to have the following characteristics:

  • Women
  • Asian
  • Genetic vulnerabilities and mutations that increase the influence of factors such as air pollution and inflammatory conditions

Because these do not correlate closely with the people commonly associated with a high risk of lung cancer, in particular, the lack of a smoking habit, the journal noted that this means an early diagnosis is more likely to be missed.

This means it is more likely that patients will need radiotherapy for secondary cancer as metastasis will have had more time to take place, while for some, only palliative options remain. As with all cancers, early diagnosis improves the patient’s prospects.

However, efforts to increase knowledge of this condition may themselves aid an improvement in patient outcomes by producing greater awareness and with it more early diagnoses.

How Does Radiotherapy Tackle Lung Cancer?

Once a diagnosis has been made, the question of what role radiotherapy may play in treatment comes next.

As the EMJ article noted, the genetic predisposition that increases the vulnerability of some to non-smoker lung cancer, with the “high rate of targetable mutations and distinct immune features”, makes the use of targeted therapy drugs a part of many treatment programmes.

However, treatment courses are not always a matter of either/or treatment options, with different methods of fighting cancer being used in tandem.

Indeed, studies have shown that radiotherapy can often be used in concert with other therapies and may even make them more effective.

Lung cancer is classified in two ways – small cell (SCLC) and non-small cell (NSCLC), but both can be treated using radiotherapy. Non-smokers with lung cancer are more likely to suffer NSCLC, which accounts for more than eight out of ten lung cancer cases.

How Is Radiotherapy Used According To Different Lung Cancer Types?

In the case of NSCLC, surgery is often the first resort, as the larger cells make them an easier target for surgeons to seek to excise tumours and cells. Radiotherapy is then given afterwards, which aims to tackle remaining cells or any parts of tumours still present.

This form of radiotherapy is known as adjuvant radiotherapy, whereas stereotactic ablative radiotherapy is a type of precisely-targeted radiotherapy used instead of surgery for NSCLC.

In SCLC cases, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are both commonly used. In different cases, radiotherapy may be given before, after, or alongside chemotherapy.

These variations in cancer type and different treatment approaches highlight how important it is to treat every patient as an individual. This becomes even more important in the case of a non-smoker with lung cancer.

It may be an unusual form of the disease, but we will be ready to respond by providing the right treatment, aiming to give you or your loved one the best possible outcome.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy treatments for lung cancer on the Amethyst Group website.

Radiotherapy centre

RAD Magazine Highlights Strategic Alliance Between Amethyst & Stingray

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Monthly news magazine RAD, which is widely circulated to radiographers, radiologists, radiotherapists and consultants, has featured the recent newly formed alliance between Amethyst Healthcare Group and Stingray Healthcare, forming a leading independent pan-European radiotherapy network.

Stingray Healthcare, based in Lausanne, Switzerland, was recently acquired by Fremman Capital from Jacobs Capital, with the organisation already enjoying a strong presence in France and Germany, the two biggest European radiotherapy markets. 

Amethyst Healthcare operates in France, Poland, the UK, Romania, Italy, Portugal and Austria.

The aim of the integration of the two organisations is to expand patient access to high-quality care across Europe, with more than 30 treatment centres in operation across eight countries.

To find out more about innovative oncology treatment and how Amethyst can help, get in touch with the team today.

Private radiotherapy - Doctor with human Colon anatomy model

How Is Radiotherapy Used To Treat Colorectal Cancer?

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Some kinds of cancer are less prevalent than they used to be. Reduced smoking rates have cut lung cancer rates, while awareness of the risks of sun exposure has reduced skin cancer frequency. But other cancers have increased.

Colorectal cancer is one such category, with instances of the disease on the rise across the globe.

The American Cancer Society predicted last year that there would be more than 154,000 diagnoses of the disease across the US, slightly up from its 2024 forecasts.

Forecasts of a rising incidence of gastrointestinal cancer in the US were backed up by a study by JAMA that showed not only were cases on the rise, but the increase was particularly focused on younger people.

Colorectal cancer in adults under 40 was up 3.4 per cent over the course of the decade, while pancreatic and gastric cancers were also up.

What Factors Increase The Risk Of Colorectal Cancer?

Speaking about these findings on the ABC Good Morning America show last year, the show’s medical correspondent, Dr Darien Sutton, listed several increased risk factors that were leading to higher incidences of gastrointestinal cancers:

  • Obesity
  • The consumption of highly processed foods
  • High consumption levels of sugary drinks
  • High levels of alcohol consumption
  • Increasingly sedentary lifestyles
  • Smoking

While the last of these may be less common than years ago, the others are not. However, it is clear that alongside not smoking, factors like more exercise, less alcohol and a healthy diet with more fibre and less red meat reduce risk, points Dr Sutton emphasised.

How is the Age Profile Of Colorectal Cancer Patients Changing?

American Cancer Society figures for 2025 highlighted just how skewed the increase was towards younger patients in the US.

The annual increase in colorectal cancer rates between 2012 and 2021 was 2.4 per cent in those aged under 50, but just 0.4 per cent for those in the 50-64 age range.

A key point to note was that the trends seen in the US echoed those around the world, where similar causal factors have been at play.

For example, an international study published in The Lancet in early 2025 highlighted the rising colorectal cancer incidence among younger adults in high-income Western countries.

However, while colorectal cancer is a rising problem around the world, especially in more affluent countries where lifestyles are more sedentary and the consumption of potentially harmful foods and beverages like red meat and sugary drinks is higher, there is good news.

While delivering its prediction of rising case numbers in 2025, the American Cancer Society noted that since the 1970s, patient outcomes for those with these forms of cancer had been steadily improving, partly thanks to more screening and lifestyle changes.

However, we may also consider just how radiotherapy has played a role in improved outcomes by noting how it can help to treat colorectal cancers and why treatments are now more effective than in the past.

On the one hand, the basics of radiotherapy remain the same as ever: The radiation disrupts the DNA of cancer cells, which breaks them down and prevents them from replicating. However, improvements in technology and scanning have made this process more precise.

How Is Radiotherapy Given For Colorectal Cancer?

Radiotherapy is usually delivered as external beam radiotherapy; specialised internal/contact techniques may be used in selected cases.

External beam therapy is given via a machine such as a LINAC machine, with the patient lying prone while the beams of radiation penetrate the skin to target the cancerous area.

This is often delivered in the form of intensity-modulated radiotherapy, which varies the strength of the beams of radiation to concentrate the higher doses on the cancer cells, while limiting the radiation exposure for the surrounding healthy tissue.

Brachytherapy involves a radioactive substance being placed inside the body, in this case, the colorectal area, to deliver the radiation. Two types can be used:

  • High dose rate brachytherapy, which is often given after external therapy
  • Low-energy contact brachytherapy, sometimes known as Papillon treatment, which is used as an alternative to surgery for cases of rectal cancer that have been detected very early

Any course of radiotherapy will come with side effects, although a benefit of intensity-modulated radiotherapy is that it reduces these because it limits the exposure in healthy tissue.

Nonetheless, some side effects will be common, such as

  • Fatigue
  • Hair loss
  • Nausea

Usually, these are temporary effects that wear off after treatment ends and younger patients will be better able to withstand the rigours of such treatment.

The best news about radiotherapy treatment for colorectal cancer is that, if detected early enough, this is a form of cancer that may often be removed entirely with a full recovery for patients.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy treatments for colorectal cancers on the Amethyst Group website.

Radiotherapy treatment - first linear accelerator technology IMRT

What Does LINAC-Based Radiotherapy Treatment Involve?

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If you have been diagnosed with cancer and need radiotherapy treatment, there are various kinds you may receive, including internal and external radiotherapy and, in the latter case, different means of delivering it.

Depending on the type of radiotherapy you receive, you may become very familiar with a linear accelerator (LINAC) machine.

To understand what this is and what is involved, let us first consider the different kinds of radiotherapy:

  • Internal radiotherapy involves the injection of a radioactive substance into the body or your blood stream, enabling it to migrate to the location where it can deliver the radiation needed to disrupt the DNA of cancer cells
  • External beam radiotherapy involves beams of invisible radiation being directed to the body, aimed at the area or areas where the cancer resides
  • Stereotactic radiotherapy involves the use of precise beams of more intense radiation aimed at very specific locations, usually where the cancer is in or adjacent to sensitive organs like the brain. This sometimes involves a Gamma Knife instead of a LINAC machine.
  • Intensity-Modulated Radiation therapy is a form of radiotherapy delivered through a LINAC machine. It uses modulated beams shaped to the tumour and for different clinical scenarios than stereotactic treatments.

What Exactly Are LINAC Machines?

LINAC machines are large and complex devices that work by using a heated filament to effectively boil off electrons, which an accelerator then directs through further pieces of high-tech equipment, but the ultimate principle is simple.

These machines have been in use for decades. The concept was first proposed by physicist Gustav Ising in 1924, with the idea being modified. However, it wasn’t until 1953 that the first one, located in London, was used to treat patients.

What Cancers Do LINAC Machines Help To Treat?

Many primary cancers are commonly treated using a LINAC machine. These include:

  • Head and neck cancer
  • Brain and spine cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Blood cancer
  • Cancers of the reproductive systems, such as the womb, cervix or prostate
  • Cancers of the digestive system, such as the stomach, pancreas and liver
  • Colon and rectal cancers
  • Bladder cancer

In addition to these, it can also be used to treat metastatic (secondary) cancer that has spread from its original area to other parts of the body.

How Many Cancer Patients Are Treated With LINAC Machines?

This is a very wide range of cancers and highlights not just how broad a range of conditions the LINAC machine is equipped to treat, but also highlights how likely it is that any given cancer patient will, if prescribed radiotherapy, be given treatment in this machine. Over half of all cancer patients will have experienced this.

The experience of treatment in a LINAC machine will, at least the first time, be a novel one. The patient lies on a table, which is designed to be comfortable to recline on, before they slide backwards into the machine and lie still while the course of radiotherapy is delivered.

For some, this does bring the challenge of claustrophobia, although the patient will be able to stay calm as they can listen to soothing music. It is also possible to communicate with staff outside using an intercom.

What Is The Experience Of Radiotherapy Delivered By A LINAC Machine?

The session will last between ten to 30 minutes, depending on the cancer being treated, what stage you are at in the treatment course and individual factors.

While LINAC machines are used very widely, we will still ensure your treatment using one will be tailored specifically to your needs.

As with any radiotherapy treatment, you will be likely to experience some side effects due to the radiation, although the precision of the treatment will limit the exposure to healthy tissue. These commonly include:

  • Fatigue
  • Skin Soreness
  • Nausea
  • Hair loss

Most side effects are temporary and will ease once your course of treatment ends. For example, if you have lost your hair, you will find that it soon starts to grow back again.

If you undergo radiotherapy treatment with us involving a LINAC machine, you can be assured that you will receive tailored personal treatment and excellent aftercare, as well as being kept informed of how everything is progressing throughout the process.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy treatments for different cancers on the Amethyst Group website.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery - Stereotactic frame in hands of doctor

Why Is Stereotactic Radiosurgery Better For Prostate Cancer?

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Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer to specifically affect men. According to the latest data, it accounts for just over 12 per cent of cancer cases in the European Economic Area and particularly affects men over the age of 45.

In addition, some ethnic groups are particularly prone to the disease, with black men at the highest risk. However, no racial group can be classed as ‘low risk’. The disease is curable, provided it is diagnosed at an early stage.

The fact that prostate cancer is so common does mean it has attracted a lot of attention, time and money for research into the disease and its treatments. This means that if you are a sufferer, you may have more treatment options open to you than you might be aware of.

If you are not happy with your current or proposed treatment, you may be keen on alternatives, not least if that means choosing radiotherapy over physical surgery. While surgery seeks to remove tumours and cancerous tissue, radiotherapy uses radiation to disrupt the DNA of cancer cells, destroying them and preventing cell replication.

What Is Involved In Prostate Cancer Surgery?

Going under the knife to have a tumour or even the whole prostate removed is a recognised and well-established treatment and it can be very effective. However, it has several potential downsides:

  • Urinary dysfunction, including incontinence
  • Negative changes to the experience of orgasm in sex
  • Loss of fertility
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Lymphedema, a painful swelling in the legs or around the genitals

Such consequences mean that whatever the surgery achieves for the overall patient prognosis, there can be a significant deterioration in quality of life.

This alone might make radiotherapy sound like an alternative worth considering. But this will only be useful if it can be shown to be at least as effective in achieving its primary purpose of tackling the cancer itself.

What Are The Side Effects Of Radiotherapy For Prostate Cancer?

Moreover, radiotherapy for prostate cancer is also not without its possible side effects and long-term issues. These include:

  • Fatigue (short-term)
  • Issues with urinary, bowel and ejaculatory function (both short and long-term)
  • Infertility (long-term)
  • Erectile dysfunction (long-term)

There is more than one kind of radiotherapy, however, which means there are multiple options for using it to treat prostate cancer. Finding the best option for each patient is important for achieving the best possible outcomes.

What Research Supports Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy For Prostate Cancer?

An increasing body of research evidence is available to show that stereotactic body radiotherapy may be an effective and increasingly preferred option to deliver radiotherapy treatment to prostate cancer sufferers.

The latest study to show this comes from a Phase III trial held by University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust in the UK.

It carried out a study that compared the outcomes from a cohort of men who had five days of daily high-dosage stereotactic treatment to those of another group who underwent more standard radiotherapy treatment consisting of 20 sessions over four weeks.

The key finding of the trial was that the stereotactic radiotherapy produced results that were just as positive on average as those delivered by the longer courses of radiotherapy.

Consultant clinical oncologist at the trust, Andrew Chan, called the findings “a pivotal, practice-changing result”, as it meant that “for this highly prevalent cancer we are able to reduce radiotherapy treatment to only a quarter of the current standard – from 20 days to five days – with the same clinical benefits.”

This approach can have some great advantages for patients. Firstly, it is more practical as you only need to spare a few days to get it done, rather than a month.

Considering that the side-effects of radiotherapy can make you feel tired and unwell, this means you spend less time suffering and get the side-effects out of the way sooner.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy?

For selected patients with localised prostate cancer, stereotactic body radiotherapy is also likely to produce fewer side effects precisely because it is designed to focus the radiation on very precise areas, which means it not only blasts the cancerous tissue with higher doses of radiation, but greatly reduces the radiation exposure for adjacent, healthy tissue.

The term stereotactic radiosurgery was coined in the 1960s by Lars Leksell, the Swedish neuroscientist who invented the Gamma Knife, a device commonly used in tackling brain tumours.

The brain is a prime example of an organ in which exposure of healthy tissue to radiation needs to be minimised, but this benefit can also apply to other parts of the body.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy is one option that may be considered for eligible patients with prostate cancer, following assessment by a specialist clinical team

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy treatments for prostate cancer on the Amethyst Group website.

Radiotherapy treatment - Female untangles her hair with a comb

How Can The Side Effects Of Radiotherapy Be Minimised?

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Radiotherapy can be extremely effective against all kinds of cancer, using radiation to disrupt the DNA of cancer cells and prevent them from dividing and multiplying. It can shrink tumours, extend life, and, in many cases, eliminate cancer.

However, like many medical interventions, radiotherapy treatment does come with side effects. These can be varied, but the most common effects include:

  • Fatigue
  • Difficulties with eating and drinking
  • Nausea
  • Sore and discoloured skin
  • Hair loss
  • Loss of fertility (if radiotherapy occurs in the pelvic area or around the pituitary gland at the base of the brain)

This is not an exhaustive list, but it provides a clear picture: Radiotherapy can bring some unpleasant side effects that need to be handled and managed.

However, as radiotherapy has been used since the turn of the 20th century, these side-effects have become well understood and although they cannot be avoided, there are various ways in which they can be minimised in many cases, making the process much more manageable for patients.

What Activities Can You Still Do While Undergoing Radiotherapy?

For example, you might know people who have had cancer yet managed to do some very active things while undergoing treatment. An example of this that Alastair Welford, a 67-year-old from Warwickshire who recently began a 400-mile cycling challenge to raise money for a cancer charity, all while receiving radiotherapy for prostate cancer,

Mr Welford has not been free of side effects, but evidently they have not been so serious as to prevent him from undertaking a challenge that might be beyond many people in better health and of much younger age.

In his case, the treatment being given is MRI-guided radiotherapy. You may be familiar with MRI scans, which can be used to provide clear internal images of the body so medics can establish what is happening in a particular area without the need for an exploratory operation.

The benefit of using an MRI in cancer treatment is that it can help to locate precisely where a tumour or cluster of cancer cells is situated, as well as the size of the area. Modern use of MRI enables 3D imaging, which means that this can then be used to ensure the radiation applied in radiotherapy is directed with greater precision.

How Has More Precise Radiotherapy Been Made Possible?

Achieving increased accuracy in radiotherapy has been a key area of enhancement in the treatment. The more radiation can be directed very precisely at a cancer, the greater the medical effects in shrinking tumours and disrupting cancer cells. At the same time, the less radiation that gets into the surrounding tissue, the milder the side effects.

Indeed, the most accurately directed radiotherapy can require fewer sessions of treatment to have the necessary effects, because it is delivered more efficiently. This means reduced appointments and is therefore more practical for patients.

Radiotherapy can be delivered in different ways and for a condition like prostate cancer, external beam radiotherapy is used, directing the beams with precision at the affected area.

Among the innovations that have made possible more precise and intensified delivery of radiation is stereotactic radiosurgery. The term was invented in the late 1960s by Swedish neuroscientist Lars Leksell.

He invented the term as he introduced his defining invention to the world: the Gamma Knife. This device, despite its name, was anything but a knife, for it made non-invasive neurosurgery possible for the first time, as well as more precise radiotherapy.

The Gamma Knife is designed precisely for cases where the radiation has to be directed at very precise points, such as small tumours, but its original purpose was to deal with neurosurgery and that involves minimising the amount of brain tissue that is exposed to radiation.

How Can Stereotactic Radiotherapy Benefit Prostate Cancer Patients?

However, stereotactic radiosurgery can also be applied to other parts of the anatomy on the same principle; that it is beneficial to the patient to minimise the exposure of radiation for sensitive organs that lie close to the site of the cancer.

This can apply to prostate cancer, as that can reduce exposure to nearby pelvic organs. As well as issues of fertility, notable side effects can include incontinence. Prostate cancer patients may still suffer from these (especially infertility), but the exposure to radiation of other organs nearby will be reduced and the wider impact minimised.

Of course, not every patient will be able to jump on a bike and ride 400 miles over the course of a few days between treatment sessions. But equally, stereotactic radiosurgery is delivered in a way that will bring a lot less disruption to normal life than other forms of radiotherapy.

This will mean that it takes less time out of your schedule, while also enabling you to do more of your normal activities.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy treatments for different cancers on the Amethyst Group website.

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How To Enjoy The Festive Season While Receiving Radiotherapy

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Christmas is a time of togetherness, joy and merriment, as friends, family and loved ones come together to celebrate, share moments and memories and look towards the promise of a new year.

However, this spirit of the season can also be a challenge for people undergoing radiotherapy, chemotherapy and other forms of cancer care.

Festive celebrations are often a further disruption to your schedule beyond the radiotherapy sessions, with the inadvertent pressure that can come from family gatherings.

You are not alone at Christmas, and people are here to help with whatever you need. But here are some tips and tricks to help cope with both the practical and emotional complexities of the season.

Why Is Christmas Difficult Whilst Being Treated For Cancer?

For some people undergoing cancer treatment, Christmas is a welcome break from the routine, provides a chance to rest and recover, whilst also celebrating their progress with the people who love them most.

However, at the same time, the very hope and magic that make Christmas what it is can also be more difficult. Whilst some people enjoy the occasion, others may feel more apprehensive about it:

  • You might feel a subconscious pressure to avoid talking about negative feelings, anxieties or uncertainties so as not to upset other people.
  • You could feel lonely or isolated at a time when healthcare and support tend to operate a more limited emergency service.
  • You may be feeling additional fatigue or the effects of symptoms due to a more intense or stressful schedule than usual.

If you feel anything like this, know that it is natural, you are not alone, and with some planning and support, these challenges can be managed to ensure you have an enjoyable Christmas.

How Should You Prepare For Christmas Celebrations?

Preparation is a key part of Christmas, and if you are undergoing cancer treatments, there is an additional set of preparations you will need to make in order to enjoy yourself the most and give yourself the most peace of mind, whether you are hosting guests, going somewhere for the holidays or are taking some time for yourself.

Get Emergency Contact Details

Many clinics will have reduced hours or will close entirely over the festive period, so it is important to know your options.

Your cancer team and particularly your main points of contact within that team will likely talk to you about what to expect during the break, when your next appointment is and what you should do if you feel unwell.

Make sure to prompt them for contact details so you know what to expect ahead of time.

Check Your Prescriptions

If you are taking medications ahead of time or have medical equipment you need to use as part of your treatment, make sure you have enough to get you through the entire festive season. Get in touch with your doctor to make sure you have any prescriptions.

As well as this, ask your cancer team if you need any additional medications to help with symptoms over the holiday, such as nausea or fatigue, and jot down a list of medications you are likely to take.

Let Your Hosts Know Your Needs

If you are seeing family or friends, they will want to do everything they can to make your time more comfortable, so let them know what you need when it comes to dietary requirements, if you need a quiet room to get away or if you need to leave early.

How Can You Manage Symptoms During Christmas Festivities?

Cancer treatment can have better or worse days, and your cancer team will do what they can to ensure you are comfortable leading up to any Christmas gatherings. However, here are some steps you can take to help relieve common symptoms specific to festive parties.

Only Eat What You Feel Comfortable Eating

Let your host know ahead of time if your food needs to be a particular consistency or if you need a smaller portion. Christmas foods are often rich, filling and flavourful, and this can be overpowering if your mouth or stomach is more sensitive.

If you take anti-sickness tablets, check to see if you need to adjust your dosing schedule.

Set Reminders To Take Your Medicines

If you take pain medication, it is possible to be distracted or forget to take it due to the events of the day, so set reminders on your phone to make sure you take the medications you need at the right time.

Cushion Yourself

If you are sensitive to physical contact, putting a cushion on your lap can help soften any young children or pets giving overeager hugs.

Take Rests Whenever You Need Them

Most Christmas parties will have a quiet room or a place where you can escape the noise and the conversations. Let people know whenever you need to take a break, sit down or even have a lie down during the day.