Hypofractionation/Ultra-hypofractionation for Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men worldwide. Radiotherapy is an integral component for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. Radiobiologically, prostate cancer is sensitive to an increased dose of radiotherapy delivered per fraction, called “hypofractionation”, due to intrinsic differences in the rate of cancer cell growth and repair of DNA damage. Hypofractionation delivers planned treatment over fewer radiotherapy sessions compared to conventional fractionation and has been shown to be noninferior to conventional fractionation with an acceptable toxicity profile. Ultra-hypofractionation, often delivered via stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), further reduces the number of treatments by using even larger doses per fraction and has shown promising results with high biochemical control rates and low rates of late toxicity. The adoption of hypofractionated and ultra-hypofractionated schedules improves resource utilization in radiation oncology without compromising patient safety or efficacy. Ongoing research continues to refine patient selection, fractionation schemes, and incorporates advanced imaging, precise treatment planning, and motion management techniques to help mitigate toxicity and optimize outcomes in localized intermediate and high-risk disease.