Radiation treatment planning for the localized prostatic carcinoma: methods and rationale.

External radiation therapy is an effective treatment modality for the locally confined prostatic carcinoma. The incidence of radiation induced morbidity varies among the different published series. It is definitely related to the treatment technique used. A number of examples are shown, and their validity discussed. The treatment set up needs to be individualized, determined by, among other factors, local tumor extent and the irradiated volume of critical organs within the treatment volume.