By Dr. Andrew Loblaw, Chair, PCF
There’s been another change in the way men with prostate cancer are treated. Options have always included prostatectomy, brachytherapy or external beam radiation but recently Dr Dearneley and others from the UK have presented data showing that 20 external beam treatments (over 4 weeks) are just as effective and have the same side effects as 37 treatments (over 7.5 weeks).
This was based on a large randomized controlled trial of 3216 patients (1/3 received 37 treatments, 1/3 received 20 treatments and 1/3 received 19 treatments) who were followed on average for 5.2 years. This confirms the concept that for prostate cancer high dose per day of radiation is more effective than standard doses now makes 7-8 week courses of radiation a thing of the past! We’ve found prostate cancer’s “Achilles Heel”.
There’s been another change in the way men with prostate cancer are treated. Options have always included prostatectomy, brachytherapy or external beam radiation but recently Dr Dearneley and others from the UK have presented data showing that 20 external beam treatments (over 4 weeks) are just as effective and have the same side effects as 37 treatments (over 7.5 weeks).
This was based on a large randomized controlled trial of 3216 patients (1/3 received 37 treatments, 1/3 received 20 treatments and 1/3 received 19 treatments) who were followed on average for 5.2 years. This confirms the concept that for prostate cancer high dose per day of radiation is more effective than standard doses now makes 7-8 week courses of radiation a thing of the past! We’ve found prostate cancer’s “Achilles Heel”.
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