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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Radiation seed implants (brachytherapy) may be the best option for men with prostate cancer.
New research from Case Western University School of Medicine in Cleveland reveals patients with localized prostate cancer cut their risk of dying of the disease in half when they have brachytherapy compared to those who dont get active treatment (watchful waiting/active surveillance) within six months of being diagnosed.
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The results may doctors find the right treatment for their patients, according to study authors. As of now, there is no single therapy shown to be clearly optimal for localized prostate cancer.
During brachytherapy, the patient is sedated as small radioactive seeds are placed into the prostate to kill the cancer cells. Many men prefer this treatment because it is just as effective as external beam radiation therapy and surgery but it can be done in one visit and patients usually have a faster recovery.
During watchful waiting/active surveillance, doctors monitor the cancer through frequent tests to see if it is growing. Most prostate cancers grow very slowly, and some patients prefer having their cancer monitored instead of actively treating it so they can avoid the side effects of treatments, like problems with urination and sexual function.
We were pleasantly surprised to find that patients who had brachytherapy in conjunction with external beam radiation therapy and/or androgen deprivation therapy had much better survival than those patients who didnt receive active treatment, lead author Ester H. Zhou, M.D., Ph.D., from Case Western University School of Medicine, was quoted as saying. And that it was shown to be just as effective as radical prostatectomy in lengthening the lives of prostate cancer patients.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, which offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, click on: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncologys 49th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, October 28 - November 1, 2007
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