Radiotherapy for prostate cancer
External beam radiotherapy is a common treatment for prostate cancer. It uses high energy waves similar to x-rays to destroy cancer cells. External radiotherapy uses a machine outside the body to direct radiation beams at the cancer. Your doctor may suggest you have it together with hormone therapy.
Read about hormone therapy for prostate cancer
You may also have both external radiotherapy and internal radiotherapy. Internal radiotherapy gives radiation to the cancer from inside the prostate gland.
Find out more about internal radiotherapy for prostate cancer
Your radiotherapy team needs to plan your external radiotherapy before you start treatment. This means working out the dose of radiotherapy you need and exactly where you need it.
You have external radiotherapy for prostate cancer in a hospital radiotherapy department. You usually have it as an outpatient each weekday over 2 to 8 weeks.
Radiotherapy to the prostate can cause some side effects. These include loose or watery poo (diarrhoea) and problems passing urine.
You might have long term side effects after having external radiotherapy for prostate cancer. These include problems getting an erection and bowel and bladder problems.
Last reviewed: 25 Jun 2025
Next review due: 25 Jun 2028
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