A new study has found that men with prostate cancer can safely undergo much less radiotherapy than currently prescribed. Presently, doctors administer 20 doses to treat the cancer fully. However, researchers have found that just five higher doses can achieve a 96% success rate. Hormone therapy need not be used, and side-effects were low in both groups. The PACE-B trial findings were described by lead researcher, Prof Nicholas van As from the Royal Marsden Hospital, as “outstanding” and “fantastic” for patients. The results were presented at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology conference in San Diego.
The international trial was conducted on nearly 900 men with medium-risk prostate cancer, who were yet to suffer from its spread. The findings could help the NHS save time and money while ensuring patients get the best outcomes, according to Prostate Cancer UK. By giving larger doses of radiotherapy, men can have treatment in a single week, compared to the standard regimen of one dose per each hospital visit. Prof van As has predicted that the treatment regimen will change significantly.
In the UK, the standard treatment involves 20 doses of radiotherapy, while other nations, such as the US, use up to 40 doses. None of the 874 men involved in the trial were given hormone therapy to block testosterone, which is known to drive prostate cancer. Hormone therapy often leads to severe tiredness, low libido and hot flushes. Alistair Kennedy-Rose, who was treated at the Royal Marsden using Cyberknife, a robotic radiotherapy machine, had all five sessions in the same week and did not receive hormone therapy. His treatment has been assessed as likely to have cured him, and he undergoes annual PSA level tests, which have remained at very low levels
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