News Center

VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center continues to lead the way with MRI-guided radiation therapy, now in prostate cancer treatment. Massey first offered the innovative and precision treatment in 2022, when it became the first cancer center between Pennsylvania and Florida to treat patients with MRI-guided radiation therapy, allowing significantly enhanced real-time tumor visualization while reducing the number of treatments, side effects and toxicity for patients.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the U.S., according to the National Cancer Institute.

MRI-guided radiation therapy considerably diminishes prostate cancer treatment-related side effects, driving the number of treatments in a typical cycle for prostate cancer from 20 down to just five in many cases.

“What we have seen in the MRI-guided treatments is not only the ability to better target the tumor within the prostate, but to also keep the surrounding tissue healthier with fewer side effects to the patient,” said Alfredo Urdaneta, M.D., radiation oncologist who leads this innovative treatment option at Massey and an associate professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the VCU School of Medicine.

In a 2023 study published in JAMA Oncology, MRI-guided, 5-fraction treatments were shown to significantly reduce acute and late genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxic effects when compared with traditional CT-based prostate cancer treatments. Patients in that study reported lower changes in their Sexual Health Inventory in Men (SHIM), a survey often used to determine sexual function, when treated with MRI-guided radiation therapy.

As Massey looks ahead to 2026, clinical trials are currently in development to explore how the use of MRI-guided radiation therapy can help in the fight against prostate cancer while improving quality-of-life for patients.

The use of the MRIdian ViewRay technology is one of a number of ways Massey is leading the way in cancer treatment, joining High Dose Rate Brachytherapy (HDR) and high-intensity focused ultrasound, among the revolutionary ways the cancer center is taking on prostate cancer.

“We are proud to be leading the way in finding innovative ways to treat prostate cancer,” said Douglas Arthur, M.D., associate director of clinical affairs and chair of radiation oncology at Massey. “Our unique approach to prostate cancer with a multi-disciplinary team—specialists in urology, radiation oncology, medical oncology, radiology, pathology, genetics, supportive care and survivorship—allows us to provide the best treatment plans for our patients and improve their outcomes.”

MRI-based prostate cancer treatments are available at Massey’s location in downtown Richmond. Anyone interested in learning more about this treatment option can visit the Massey website or call (804) 828-7232.

Written by: Bill Potter