ABSTRACT
External beam radiotherapy is a commonly used modality in the radical treatment of both early and locally advanced prostate cancer. It also has a role in men with biochemical prostate-specific antigen (PSA) relapse following radical prostatectomy and in metastatic disease (see Chapters 73 and 101, respectively). This chapter will discuss the rationale, treatments, and outcomes for both early and locally advanced prostate cancer, briefly chronicle the technical developments in external beam irradiation, outline the methods underpinning modern radiotherapy, and address the treatment issues pertinent to external beam radiotherapy. New and future developments will be described including hypofractionation, image-guided radiotherapy, and treatment individualization.
