Major prostate cancer study finds radiation therapy comparable to surgical prostate removal.
A major study looking at prostate cancer treatment options conducted in the UK has shown that men with early prostate cancer are more likely to be free from cancer at 10 years if they have radiation therapy or surgery compared to undergoing monitoring only. It was equally uncommon that they would die from their cancer regardless of the treatment options they were allocated to on the study.
Results of the Prostate Testing for Cancer and Treatment Trial (ProtecT) were published in 2 papers in the New England Journal of Medicine; the first looked at whether there were differences between survival outcomes and spread of cancer outside the prostate (metastases) for men having active monitoring, radiation therapy or surgery and the other reported on quality of life and side effects.
Survival rates were the same for all three groups in the trial; 99% of men diagnosed at the early stages of cancer lived for at least 10 years regardless of their treatment. However, more men developed metastatic disease in the monitoring group.
The patient-reported outcomes showed no difference in overall quality of life between radiation therapy and surgery, and found less urinary incontinence and sexual problems after radiation therapy.
“These findings are the strongest proof we have to date that curative radiation therapy is equally likely to control prostate cancer and give good quality of life as radical prostatectomy,” said A/Prof Sandra Turner, Councillor of the Faculty of Radiation Oncology at the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR).
“There is still a significant role for active monitoring in early prostate cancer but this study does strongly support the importance of men knowing about all their prostate cancer treatment options by ensuring they talk to a radiation oncologist as well as a urologist. As prostate cancer experts we are obligated to strongly encourage men to take the time to talk to all the experts and to facilitate this in all cases where active treatment may be needed.” said A/Prof Turner.
The ProtecT trial was led by researchers at the universities of Oxford and Bristol in nine UK centres. 82,429 men across the UK aged 50-69 were tested and 1,643 diagnosed with localised prostate cancer agreed to be included in this randomised trial between 1999 and 2009. The research team measured mortality rates at 10 years and cancer progression as well as the impact of treatment on these men,
Every year about 22,000 Australian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and about 3,300 men die from it.
“This new study adds to the mounting evidence that there are several equally effective invasive and non-invasive treatment options for prostate cancer. Men must be given the control to consider what they prefer based on accurate and non-biased information in order to make informed decisions,” said A/Prof Turner.
To access the research on the ProtecT trial in the New England Journal of Medicine, please click on this link:
