Transrectal ultrasound assessment of prostatic cancer treated by radiation therapy

Cancer of the prostate is one of the most common cancers in men over the age of 50, with the incidence increasing each decade after the age of 50. Early detection and treatment will decrease the morbidity and mortality of the disease. Transrectal ultrasound is an addition to this armamentarium of diagnosing and following up patients with cancer of the prostate. This is a report on 19 patients with localized cancer of the prostate treated by radiation therapy and followed up by transrectal ultrasound. Decrease in volume occurred within the 1st three months. Increase in volume one year after radiation therapy occurred in one patient. The basic evaluation and ultra-sonic findings and review of the literature is conducted