Strategies for the Management of Localized Prostate Cancer: A Guide for Radiation Oncologists

Clinical guidelines for the management of prostate cancer exist in the published literature. However, these guidelines have usually been developed in and for affluent health care environments where all modern diagnostic and treatment modalities are available. In limited resource environments, the radiation oncologist is faced with the question:: what would be the minimum acceptable (evidence based) line of action with the limited resources available? Clinical guidelines focusing on low-middle income countries aim to provide a practical tool to these practitioners. This publication is aimed at the radiation oncologists working in centres with limited resources and treating a large number of patients with prostate cancer on a daily basis. The approach and techniques recommended are intended to be simple, feasible and resource sparing to the extent possible when dealing with a complex treatment modality. The publication takes into consideration the cost and benefit of the intervention to avoid unnecessary overtreatment of indolent tumours.