Physical separation of rectal wall from prostate gland during radiotherapy

Physical separation of the rectal wall from the prostate gland during radiotherapy" refers to a clinical technique, typically achieved via the transperineal injection of a biocompatible spacer—most commonly a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based hydrogel—into the anatomical space between the prostate and rectum. The hydrogel temporarily creates distance between these organs, reducing the dose of radiation received by the rectum during prostate radiotherapy, thereby minimizing rectal toxicity without compromising oncologic control of the prostate tumor[1][2][4]. The procedure is image-guided, outpatient, and mainly adopted for patients undergoing external beam or brachytherapy for prostate cancer. This intervention is a **technique** and not a molecular or pharmacologic target.