Podcast Summary: The Future of Prostate Cancer Treatments & Non-Invasive Techniques with Less Side Effects
The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show
Date: October 7, 2025
Host: Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
Guest: Dr. Sanjay Mehta (Radiation Oncologist)
Overview
This episode explores contemporary advances and common misconceptions in prostate cancer treatment, focusing on non-invasive radiation therapies, their evolution, and broader implications for treating not just cancer but also musculoskeletal and inflammatory conditions. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon and Dr. Sanjay Mehta have an informative, myth-busting conversation highlighting how modern radiation oncology now delivers targeted, effective treatments with fewer side effects, challenging long-held fears about radiation in medicine.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Nature and Scope of Modern Radiation Oncology
- Precision Targeting: Modern radiation is highly focused, minimizing collateral tissue damage.
- “We’re not treating large parts of the body. I can make the radiation go exactly where the problem is.”
— Dr. Mehta [00:14]
- “We’re not treating large parts of the body. I can make the radiation go exactly where the problem is.”
- Electromagnetic Spectrum: Only ionizing radiation (like X-rays) damages DNA and treats cancer; non-ionizing (cell phones, microwaves) is not harmful.
- “Radiation is part of the electromagnetic spectrum…Your cell phone is a radio. So those are all non-ionizing radiation…the old tale about the cell phone giving you a brain tumor—not going to happen.”
— Dr. Mehta [00:41]
- “Radiation is part of the electromagnetic spectrum…Your cell phone is a radio. So those are all non-ionizing radiation…the old tale about the cell phone giving you a brain tumor—not going to happen.”
2. Prostate Cancer Treatment: Surgery vs Radiation
- Prevalence: 1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer.
- “That is insane.” — Dr. Lyon [00:13]
- “That’s right. Very, very common.” — Dr. Mehta [03:45]
- Radiation as an Alternative to Surgery:
- External beam radiation is non-invasive, outpatient, and offers cure rates equivalent to radical prostatectomy, without risks such as incontinence or nerve damage.
- “People can live their life and get treated…simultaneously with no downtime. The cure rates are basically the same as a radical prostatectomy.”
— Dr. Mehta [02:10, 03:41]
- “People can live their life and get treated…simultaneously with no downtime. The cure rates are basically the same as a radical prostatectomy.”
- External beam radiation is non-invasive, outpatient, and offers cure rates equivalent to radical prostatectomy, without risks such as incontinence or nerve damage.
- Surgery Side Effects: Common issues include incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and penile shortening.
- “There can be nerve damage as well that can lead to sexual dysfunction…Also penile shortening…which is not talked about as much.”
— Dr. Mehta [32:29, 32:50]
- “There can be nerve damage as well that can lead to sexual dysfunction…Also penile shortening…which is not talked about as much.”
3. Side Effects and Modern Safety
- Radiation Today: Image-guided, high-energy X-rays deliver focused doses, with side effects much reduced from historical norms.
- “With image guided radiation…we can make sure the beams come in from different angles…and modulate the energy and the shape of the beam to match exactly what the tumor looks like.”
— Dr. Mehta [23:26]
- “With image guided radiation…we can make sure the beams come in from different angles…and modulate the energy and the shape of the beam to match exactly what the tumor looks like.”
- Old Fears & Innovations:
- “People…think they’re going to get burned really badly…But now we don’t use cobalt. We use these high energy X rays…generated by a machine called a linear accelerator or a linac for short.”
— Dr. Mehta [26:45]
- “People…think they’re going to get burned really badly…But now we don’t use cobalt. We use these high energy X rays…generated by a machine called a linear accelerator or a linac for short.”
- Common Myths: Radiation does not cause you to glow in the dark, grow extra limbs, or instantly create new cancers when used with precision and modern protocols.
- “Am I going to glow in the dark? Am I going to grow a third arm?...No.”
— Dr. Mehta [16:48]
- “Am I going to glow in the dark? Am I going to grow a third arm?...No.”
4. Radiation Physics Explained
- Measurement:
- “In the case of radiation, it’s measured in units called the gray…That’s just essentially the amount of energy you’re putting in the tissue.”
— Dr. Mehta [08:19]
- “In the case of radiation, it’s measured in units called the gray…That’s just essentially the amount of energy you’re putting in the tissue.”
- Dose Matched to Purpose:
- High energy (megavoltage) X-rays for deep tumors; low energy (kilovoltage) X-rays for imaging or surface lesions.
- “The kilovoltage X-rays will just take a picture…but they don’t have enough energy to kill…cancer cells…it’s the higher energy stuff that can penetrate deeper into the body.”
— Dr. Mehta [21:25]
5. Distinguishing Ionizing vs Non-Ionizing Radiation
- Only Ionizing Radiation Damages DNA, Necessary for Cancer Treatment:
- “As you get to the higher energy stuff, you have ultraviolet rays from the sun…and then beyond that X-rays and gamma rays.”
— Dr. Mehta [11:01]
- “As you get to the higher energy stuff, you have ultraviolet rays from the sun…and then beyond that X-rays and gamma rays.”
- Common Household Devices Are Safe:
- “Microwaves, radio waves, cell phones—those are all non-ionizing, meaning it doesn’t have enough energy to eject an electron...and therefore it’s not going to damage your DNA.”
— Dr. Mehta [13:50, 15:46]
- “Microwaves, radio waves, cell phones—those are all non-ionizing, meaning it doesn’t have enough energy to eject an electron...and therefore it’s not going to damage your DNA.”
6. Real-World Application: Treating Non-Cancerous Conditions
-
Arthritis and Other 'Itises':
- “Very small doses of radiation…can stop those white blood cells from living. It basically kills them…so it’s the same effect as a cortisone shot…And this is something that the rest of the world has been onto for 125 years. Not just a couple of years, a decade…The Germans and the British continue to publish studies and use low doses of radiation for various joints.”
— Dr. Mehta [54:49]
- “Very small doses of radiation…can stop those white blood cells from living. It basically kills them…so it’s the same effect as a cortisone shot…And this is something that the rest of the world has been onto for 125 years. Not just a couple of years, a decade…The Germans and the British continue to publish studies and use low doses of radiation for various joints.”
-
Protocol Example:
- “We use half a gray…six straight treatments…total of only three gray…to a peripheral part of the body.”
— Dr. Mehta [66:41]
- “We use half a gray…six straight treatments…total of only three gray…to a peripheral part of the body.”
-
More Durable Relief than Steroids:
- “Cortisone usually works faster…Radiation typically doesn’t work as quickly, but it seems that it has a more durable response.”
— Dr. Mehta [72:15]
- “Cortisone usually works faster…Radiation typically doesn’t work as quickly, but it seems that it has a more durable response.”
-
No Evidence of Radiation-Induced Cancers at These Doses:
- “There is no evidence that cancer is even caused decades later because we have decades of information now.”
— Dr. Mehta [77:36]
- “There is no evidence that cancer is even caused decades later because we have decades of information now.”
7. Addressing Radiophobia
- Dispelling Fears:
- Routine exposure from airport scanners and medical imaging is minuscule and safe for the general public.
- “These doses are so minimal…for adults who are fully grown, it has now been shown that these super low doses, radiation are not only not damaging, there may actually be a hormetic…effect.”
— Dr. Mehta [45:05]
- “These doses are so minimal…for adults who are fully grown, it has now been shown that these super low doses, radiation are not only not damaging, there may actually be a hormetic…effect.”
- Routine exposure from airport scanners and medical imaging is minuscule and safe for the general public.
- Pregnancy & Radiation:
- “For a pregnant person, why take any chance? There’s a principle we have called ALARA…as low as reasonably achievable.”
— Dr. Mehta [45:05]
- “For a pregnant person, why take any chance? There’s a principle we have called ALARA…as low as reasonably achievable.”
8. The Future and Innovation in the US
- America Lagging Behind Europe:
- “In the US it’s been highly, highly underutilized. But I think we’re at the very precipice of this changing…Now that I treated myself, I became a believer instantly.”
— Dr. Mehta [84:51]
- “In the US it’s been highly, highly underutilized. But I think we’re at the very precipice of this changing…Now that I treated myself, I became a believer instantly.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On Radiation as Therapy
- “There is no cancer that cannot be destroyed by radiation. The limiting factor is the human being around that cancer.”
— Dr. Mehta [00:03, 25:08]
On Public Fear
- “People will be concerned about the radiation from a cell phone or the radiation from standing in front of a microwave…I may or may not have been one of those people when I was pregnant.”
— Dr. Lyon [08:01] - “Am I going to glow in the dark? Am I going to grow a third arm?”
— Dr. Mehta [16:48]
On Technological Advances
- “What has really revolutionized our field is…not treating large parts of the body. …I can make the radiation go exactly where the problem is.”
— Dr. Mehta [00:14] - “I could create a ball of radiation that looks exactly like the shape and size of the tumor, even if it’s got a little Mickey Mouse ear sticking off one side.”
— Dr. Mehta [23:26]
On Surgical Side Effects
-
“There can be nerve damage as well that can lead to sexual dysfunction…also penile shortening…which is not talked about as much.”
— Dr. Mehta [32:29] -
“If you have a radical prostatectomy…that’s irreversible at that point [penile shortening].”
— Dr. Mehta [33:37]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- What Is Radiation? & Myths Debunked: 00:41 – 01:23, 08:01 – 08:19
- Modern Prostate Cancer Treatment Explained: 02:10 – 03:47
- On Oncologic Specialties and Training: 04:31 – 05:37
- Deep Dive on Treatment Side Effects and Advances: 26:45 – 29:19
- Surgery vs Radiation Cure Rates: 30:00 – 30:56
- Public Radiation Fears Addressed: 43:23 – 44:54
- Low-Dose Radiation for Non-Cancer “Itises": 54:49 – 66:41
- Comparing Cortisone & Radiation for Arthritis: 70:55 – 74:20
- History & US‑EU Differences in Adoption: 84:51 – 86:41
- Practical Patient Info (Contact, Insurance, etc.): 87:32 – 88:06
Structure of Radiation Oncology Care
- Patient Pathway:
- Primary care detects abnormality or high PSA
- Referral to specialist (urologist/surgeon)
- Biopsy and imaging
- Referral to radiation oncologist for targeted treatment planning
Cancer Types Suitably Treated
- Most local cancers, including prostate and breast
- Not universally standalone—metastatic or systemic cancers (e.g., lymphomas, some lung cancers) may require combined treatments.
Exclusions & Contraindications
- Rare hereditary disorders of DNA repair (e.g., xeroderma pigmentosum)
- Active, severe autoimmune diseases may require special considerations
- History of prior radiation to the same area
The Takeaway
- Radiation oncology has evolved into a precise, patient-friendly specialty with the power to cure localized cancers non-invasively and now relieve chronic inflammation without pharmaceuticals.
- Most radiophobia is unfounded, and modern technology, safety protocols, and targeted application have vastly improved outcomes and minimized risks.
- The US is poised to embrace broader therapeutic uses of radiation—already widely accepted in Europe—to address arthritis and inflammatory joint diseases.
For Patients Interested:
Dr. Sanjay Mehta’s clinic information is available at drsanjaymehta.org (713-630-8181), servicing Houston, TX across from NRG Stadium; most insurance accepted.