Nov 16 2007
Prostate cancer: Easing the burden of radiation treatment
(NC)-Being diagnosed with prostate cancer is bad enough. Having to go for radiation treatment every day for eight weeks makes it even worse. Dr. Charles Catton of Toronto’s Princess Margaret Hospital wants to make life easier for men with prostate cancer by cutting the length of radiation treatments in half - from eight weeks to four.
Dr. Catton is conducting a clinical trial funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The trial is testing a technique to reduce the time needed for radiation treatment by delivering better-targeted radiation. Currently, radiation is delivered in small daily doses to avoid damage to the bladder and rectum. Using something called “image guidance technology” can help guide the radiation right to the centre of the prostate, better avoiding the rectum and bladder.
“If you were very certain that each day, the radiation is going where you intend it, you don’t have to worry as much about injuring the bladder and rectum and you could possibly give the course of radiation over a shorter time,” says Dr. Catton.
The benefits of a shorter period of radiation are significant for the health care system. Four weeks of radiation delivering the same results as eight is obviously a huge cost savings. But, says Dr. Catton, the benefits are equally important for the individuals receiving treatment.
“Right now, we’re telling people that they have to tie up a couple of months of their life coming in daily for treatment,” he says. “Even if we don’t see any better outcomes [from the shorter treatment], just being able to complete treatment in four weeks will make a huge difference in the lives of these people, especially those who live far from treatment and who experience such upheaval in their lives.”
Five Canadian centres are already involved in the trial, which will compare the results of the standard eight weeks of treatment with four weeks in 1,200 men. As well, the trial has just been approved in Australia and New Zealand.
“The Australian and New Zealand health care systems run much like ours,” says Dr. Catton. “Four weeks of treatment is obviously very attractive to them.”
It will be a while before patients see the impact of the trial. Prostate cancer is a slow-moving cancer, says Dr. Catton, and it takes about five years of follow-up after the trial to be sure of the outcomes. However, Dr. Catton is confident that the news, when it comes, will be good.
“Based on our initial experience, I think there is a good chance that this trial will show this is a reasonable way to treat prostate cancer.”
Credit: www.newscanada.com
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