Shorter Radiation Course as Effective as Standard Therapy For Prostate Cancer Recurrence

Shorter Radiation Course as Effective as Standard Therapy For Prostate Cancer
Recurrence

CHICAGO, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A shorter, five-week course of
radiation treatment that delivers higher doses of radiation in fewer sessions,
known as hypofractionation, appears to be just as effective and as safe in
reducing the risk of prostate cancer from returning as standard radiation
therapy, yet is delivered in two-and-a-half weeks less time, according to
interim results of a randomized study presented November 4, 2009, at the 51st
Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

"The study shows that hypofractionated radiation could potentially be used in
place of standard radiation therapy for intermediate and high risk prostate
cancer patients, but the results are still preliminary," Alan Pollack, M.D.,
lead author of the study and a radiation oncologist at the University of Miami
Miller School of Medicine in Miami, Fla., said. "We are excited about this
research because the shorter course of treatment is more convenient, would
reduce health care costs and appears just as effective."

Patients in the study received a special type of external beam radiation
called intensity modulated radiation therapy, or IMRT, that allows radiation
to be more exactly shaped to fit the prostate. Using IMRT, the amount of
radiation received by healthy tissues near the tumor are reduced. This has
allowed the investigators to give higher doses per day without increasing
toxicity significantly.

The study involved 303 men with intermediate and high risk prostate cancer who
were randomized to receive hypofractionated IMRT for 26 treatments (five weeks
of daily radiation therapy) or standard IMRT for 38 treatments
(seven-and-a-half weeks of daily treatments) to the prostate and surrounding
area. High-risk patients also received treatment to the pelvic lymph nodes.

In addition to radiation treatment, 34 of the 200 intermediate risk patients
received short-term hormone therapy for a median of four months, while 102 of
103 high risk patients in the hypofractionated group received long-term
hormone therapy for 25 months.

The study shows that 39 months after treatment, there is no significant
difference in cancer recurrence between patients who underwent
hypofractionated IMRT (14 percent) and standard IMRT (19 percent). There is
also no difference in genitourinary and gastrointestinal side effects between
the two groups.

"Although these are significant findings, longer follow-up is needed and a
final analysis is planned for 2011," Dr. Pollack said. "Other clinical trials
are exploring hypofractionation and I encourage men with prostate cancer
interested in shorter treatments to talk to their radiation oncologist about
joining a study."

For more information on radiation therapy for prostate cancer, visit
www.rtanswers.org.

The abstract, "Hypofractionation For Prostate Cancer: Interim Results of a
Randomized Trial," will be presented at a scientific session at 11:00 a.m. on
Wednesday, November 4, 2009. To speak to the lead author of the study, Alan
Pollack, M.D., please call Beth Bukata or Nicole Napoli November 1-4, 2009, in
the ASTRO Press Room at McCormick Place West at 312-791-7005 or 312-791-7006.
You may also e-mail them at bethb@astro.org or nicolen@astro.org.

SOURCE American Society for Radiation Oncology

Beth Bukata, +1-312-791-7005, +1-312-791-7006, bethb@astro.org or Nicole
Napoli, +1-312-791-7005, +1-312-791-7006, nicolen@astro.org, both of the
American Society for Radiation Oncology