Until recently the treatment of carcinoma of the prostate was limited either to radical prostatectomy by the perineal or retropubic route, or to hormonal manipulation. Approximately 5% of all patients with this disease are suitable candidates for radical surgery. Hormonal manipulation is palliative in nature and is generally used when there is evidence of metastatic disease (in about 50% of patients). There thus remains a group of patients (40% to 45%) in whom the disease is localized, yet too extensive for surgical treatment, for whom definitive radiotherapy can play a major role
