Science Current Events | Science News | Brightsurf.com
 
Email a Friend Send to a friend
Printer Friendly Print Patients report fewer moderate and serious side effects with IMRT than with brachytherapy

Patients report fewer moderate and serious side effects with IMRT than with brachytherapy

November 08, 2006

In one of the first studies to compare side effects of IMRT and permanent prostate brachytherapy (I-125) for treatment of low-risk prostate cancer, researchers say patients had fewer moderate and serious side effects when treated with IMRT. The study results were presented today at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in Philadelphia.

"Both treatments demonstrated excellent PSA outcomes (biochemical control) after treatment," said Thomas N. Eade, MBChB, a fellow in the department of radiation oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center. "The patients who received IMRT tended to be older, but even with that factor, IMRT was better tolerated." PSA, or prostate specific antigen, is measured by a blood test and used to determine if prostate cancer is present.




The study included 374 patients with low-risk prostate cancers treated at Fox Chase with either IMRT (216 patients) or I-125 seed brachytherapy (158 patients). Patients who received neoadjuvant hormones were excluded from the study. The IMRT dose ranged from 74 to 78 Gy. The implant dose was 145 Gy. IMRT patients were an average of three years older (median age 67.6 years compared to 64.7 years).

Serious long-term side effects were significantly higher in the I-125 patients, including urethral stricture (narrowing) and catheterization. Catheterization within the first three months was required in three of the IMRT patients and 11 of the I-125 patients. Only one IMRT patient and seven of the implant patients required catheterization more than three months after completing treatment.

"There are limited studies looking at long-term outcomes in IMRT as it is a relatively new technology," said Eade. "However, Fox Chase has been a leader in this area and is one of the only institutions that can investigate this question.

"This study shows men treated with brachytherapy have an increased risk of long-term side effects with brachytherapy as compared to IMRT," Eade said. "Advances in technologies will continue to improve outcomes for both treatment modalities, but for now IMRT delivers excellent cancer control with fewer long-term problems.\\\

Fox Chase Cancer Center



Related Brachytherapy Current Events and Brachytherapy News Articles Brachytherapy Current Events and Brachytherapy News RSS Brachytherapy Current Events and Brachytherapy News RSS
Task force develops new radiation guidelines for brachytherapy
Radiation dose delivered to the prostate and nearby organs in every brachytherapy procedure should be carefully analyzed using post-implant CT or MRI and uniformly documented in every patient.

Hormone therapy for prostate cancer patients with heart conditions linked to increased death risk
Men with coronary artery disease-induced congestive heart failure or heart attack who receive hormone therapy before or along with radiation therapy for treatment of prostate cancer have an associated increased risk of death.

Study shows seed implants a suitable prostate cancer treatment option for men of all ages
Men diagnosed with prostate cancer have a number of treatments to choose from, but it's a daunting task to figure out the right mix of therapies for an individual patient.

Prostate cancer patients disease free after 5 years likely to be disease free after 10 years
Prostate cancer patients who receive brachytherapy and remain free of disease for five years or greater are unlikely to have a recurrence at 10 years.

External beam partial breast irradiation most cost-effective treatment
External beam partial breast irradiation (EB-PBI) is the most cost-effective method for treating postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer based on utilities, recurrence risks and costs when compared to whole breast radiotherapy (WBRT) and brachytherapy partial breast irradiation (brachy-PBI).

Long-term study shows low oxygen levels in prostate tumors can predict recurrence
Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers have discovered that low-oxygen regions in prostate tumors can be used to predict a rise in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, a marker of tumor recurrence in prostate cancer.

Radiation device in the breast reduces complications for early stage breast cancer patients
A new study shows that the SAVIā„¢ applicator, a small, expandable device inserted inside the breast to deliver partial breast irradiation, carries a low infection risk, a potential complication of such devices.

Agent Orange exposure increases veterans' risk of aggressive recurrence of prostate cancer
Veterans exposed to Agent Orange are at increased risk of aggressive recurrence of prostate cancer, researchers report.

High dosage brachytherapy obtains excellent results in head and neck tumors
High-dosage perioperative brachytherapy (applied within the surgical process) obtains excellent results in the treatment of head and neck tumours, at the same time as reducing the period of radiation.

Early results favorable for 5-day radiation treatment of early stage prostate cancer
Preliminary results show that a shortened course of radiation therapy for prostate cancer called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) provides good PSA response for early-stage prostate cancer and has the same side effects as other treatments.
More Brachytherapy Current Events and Brachytherapy News Articles
Brachytherapy: Applications and Techniques

Brachytherapy: Applications and Techniques
by Phillip M Devlin (Editor)

Written by the foremost experts in the field, this volume is a comprehensive text and practical reference on contemporary brachytherapy. The book provides detailed, site-specific information on applications and techniques of brachytherapy in the head and neck, central nervous system, breast, thorax, gastrointestinal tract, and genitourinary tract, as well as on gynecologic brachytherapy, low dose rate and high dose rate sarcoma brachytherapy, vascular brachytherapy, and pediatric applications. The book thoroughly describes and compares the four major techniques used in brachytherapy--intracavity, interstitial, surface-dose or mold therapy, and transluminal. Chapters detail particular techniques that are appropriate in specific clinical situations.

Radiotherapy in Practice - Brachytherapy

Radiotherapy in Practice - Brachytherapy
by Peter Hoskin (Editor), Catherine Coyle (Editor)

Brachytherapy is the delivery of radiation therapy using sealed sources which are placed as close as possible to the site to be treated. It is applicable for the treatment of tumours where a radiation source can be placed within a body cavity such as the oesophagus or bronchus or where the tumour is accessible to needle or catheter sources being placed within it, such as the head and neck and skin. Brachytherapy has potential applications to most tumour sites. It can be used as primary treatment or in combination with external beam radiotherapy. This book provides practical guidance on the use of brachytherapy. Each chapter provides the reader with a solid background in the physics and dosimetry of brachytherapy followed by practical information on the use of brachytherapy in common...

Brachytherapy Applications and Techniques Hardbound

Brachytherapy Applications and Techniques Hardbound
by lww

Written by the foremost experts in the field, this volume is a comprehensive text and practical reference on contemporary brachytherapy. The book provides detailed, site-specific information on applications and techniques of brachytherapy in the head and neck, central nervous system, breast, thorax, gastrointestinal tract, and genitourinary tract, as well as on gynecologic brachytherapy, low dose rate and high dose rate sarcoma brachytherapy, vascular brachytherapy, and pediatric applications. The book thoroughly describes and compares the four major techniques used in brachytherapy?intracavity, interstitial, surface-dose or mold therapy, and transluminal. Chapters detail particular techniques that are appropriate in specific clinical situations.

  The Proven Seed: TheraSeed for Prostate Cancer- Prominent Urologists and Radition Oncologists; Discuss Brachytherapy and the Effectiveness of TheraSeed with Palladium - 103 (Physician Video - VHS)
by TheraSeed



Prostate Brachytherapy Made Complicated

Prostate Brachytherapy Made Complicated
by Kent Wallner (Author), Gregory Merrick (Author), Michael J. Dattoli (Author)

A practical guide to I-125 and Pd-103 prostate brachytherapy. Intended for physicians and well-informed patients. While some of the text may be too technical for non-physicians, most of it is easily understood and of general interest to brachytherapy patients.

Prostate Cancer:  Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Prostate Cancer: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the United States. Virtually every man over 40 has cancerous growths in his prostate, although most will not die of the disease. This program focuses on what is known about preventing prostate cancer, current diagnostic techniques, and the variety of treatments available. James D. Brooks, MD, is Assistant Professor of Urology at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Brooks focuses exclusively on the treatment of prostate cancer. He is an acknowledged expert in the technique of nerve-sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy and in the surgical anatomy of the pelvis, and has carried out pioneering research on the genetic changes occurring in urological cancers. He has also published extensively on scientific and...

Brachytherapy and IMRT: A Primer on Seed Implants and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy for Informed Patients

Brachytherapy and IMRT: A Primer on Seed Implants and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy for Informed Patients
by Michael J. Dattoli (Author), M.D. (Author), Jennifer Cash (Author), Don Kaltenbach (Author), Greg Lawrence (Editor)

This booklet is the first volume of the Dattoli Cancer Foundation's "Prostate Cancer Essentials for Survival" series. It is a guide for informed patients, especially those who are planning to have or have already undergone brachytherapy and/or Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). As a primer, it offers the most practical and up-to-date information on these advanced radiation treatments, which are now the most utilized forms of treatment for early stage prostate cancer patients. This updated and revised edition includes the latest data on 4 Dimensional Image Guided Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (4D IG-IMRT). Three leading cancer care professionals specializing in state-of-the-art radiotherapy guide readers step by step through diagnosis, treatment and recovery. They also...

Brachytherapy Applications And Techniques

Brachytherapy Applications And Techniques
by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Brachytherapy Applications and Techniques : Brachytherapy Applications and Techniques Pub Date: October 2006 Product Type: Print Author/s: Phillip M Devlin MD Written by the foremost experts in the field, this volume is a comprehensive text and practical reference on contemporary brachytherapy. The book provides detailed, site-specific information on applications and techniques of brachytherapy in the head and neck, central nervous system, breast, thorax, gastrointestinal tract, and genitourinary tract, as well as on gynecologic brachytherapy, low dose rate and high dose rate sarcoma brachytherapy, vascular brachytherapy, and pediatric applications.The book thoroughly describes and compares the four major techniques used in brachytherapy-intracavity, interstitial,...

New Treatments for Breast Cancer

New Treatments for Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is becoming a greater threat to women's health, but there are new treatments emerging that will help women with the battle, including tumor vaccines and therapies which enhance immune response to cancer. This program focuses on the newest treatments emerging from research and for which patients they will be most appropriate. Ellie Guardino, M.D., PhD., is an Instructor in the Department of Medical Oncology at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Guardino earned her MD/PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Georgetown University. Following her residency in Internal Medicine at Harvard, she completed a fellowship in the Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology, at Stanford. Dr. Guardino is developing immune therapies and vaccines for breast cancer including...

Principles and Practice of Brachytherapy: Using Afterloading Systems

Principles and Practice of Brachytherapy: Using Afterloading Systems
by C. A. Joslin (Editor), A. Flynn (Editor), E. J. Hall (Editor)

This authoritative new reference provides a comprehensive review of current practice in afterloading brachytherapy. It covers the scientific principles of brachytherapy and its applications in clinical practice. The first two sections of the book cover Physics and Radiobiology, while the third section is devoted to the clinical application of the technique in relation to specific tumor sites. Each chapter is authored by acknowledged experts in these fields. The design and provision of a brachytherapy service, quality assurance and cost implications are also discussed.

© 2009 BrightSurf.com