 |
|
Hormone therapy before radiation seed implants for prostate cancer
September 23, 2008May shorten life for older patients
Boston - Men over 70 years of age with early-stage prostate cancer have 20 percent higher mortality if they are treated first with hormone therapy before being treated with radiation seed implants (brachytherapy), compared to men who are treated with brachytherapy alone, according to the largest cohort study of its kind presented September 23, 2008, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 50th Annual Meeting in Boston.
New research shows that hormone therapy can have negative effects on survival, in addition to many other previously known side affects from this treatment. This is important to consider when weighing treatment options, especially since hormone therapy (called neoadjuvant hormone therapy or NHT) is sometimes used to shrink the prostate before brachytherapy treatment of localized prostate cancer but does not improve the patient's chance of being cured. Localized prostate cancer means it has not spread outside of the prostate.
"Our study shows that for men over 70 with early-stage prostate cancer, androgen deprivation therapy as a form of treatment may do more harm than good," Amy Fox, M.D., lead author of the study and a radiation oncology resident at the Harvard Radiation Oncology Program in Boston, said. "In older patients, the risks of androgen deprivation need to be carefully weighed by doctors when designing the proper treatment plan."
Androgen deprivation therapy is hormone therapy used to treat prostate cancer by lowering the level of male hormones (androgens) to shrink the prostate or slow down the growth of prostate cancer. Brachytherapy is a procedure where a radiation oncologist places small radioactive seeds into the prostate to kill the cancer cells while the man is sedated.
"These results are particularly interesting, since two previous studies that examined similar populations contradicted each other in terms of how hormone therapy impacts the risk of death among prostate cancer patients in this age group," Dr. Fox said.
The cohort study involved 1,709 men at least 70 years of age with localized prostate cancer who were treated with either NHT and brachytherapy or with brachytherapy alone at centers within the 21st Century Oncology consortium between 1991 and 2005. Findings show that men in this age group with localized prostate cancer who were treated with both NHT and brachytherapy had a 20 percent increased risk of dying, compared to men who were not treated with NHT.
American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
"Our study shows that for men over 70 with early-stage prostate cancer, androgen deprivation therapy as a form of treatment may do more harm than good," Amy Fox, M.D., lead author of the study and a radiation oncology resident at the Harvard Radiation Oncology Program in Boston, said. "In older patients, the risks of androgen deprivation need to be carefully weighed by doctors when designing the proper treatment plan."
Androgen deprivation therapy is hormone therapy used to treat prostate cancer by lowering the level of male hormones (androgens) to shrink the prostate or slow down the growth of prostate cancer. Brachytherapy is a procedure where a radiation oncologist places small radioactive seeds into the prostate to kill the cancer cells while the man is sedated.
"These results are particularly interesting, since two previous studies that examined similar populations contradicted each other in terms of how hormone therapy impacts the risk of death among prostate cancer patients in this age group," Dr. Fox said.
The cohort study involved 1,709 men at least 70 years of age with localized prostate cancer who were treated with either NHT and brachytherapy or with brachytherapy alone at centers within the 21st Century Oncology consortium between 1991 and 2005. Findings show that men in this age group with localized prostate cancer who were treated with both NHT and brachytherapy had a 20 percent increased risk of dying, compared to men who were not treated with NHT.
American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
Brachytherapy Current Events and Brachytherapy News RSSBreast cancer treatment offers better outcome to women with implants
Women with early-stage breast cancer who have undergone breast augmentation may be treated successfully with a partial-breast radiation treatment called brachytherapy, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Prostate size and other neglected factors influence prostate cancer treatment satisfaction
Men with prostate cancer and their partners face difficult decisions regarding treatment, and accurate information regarding expected outcomes can be hard to find, according to results of a multi-center study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Patients Need To Know that Nuclear Medicine Procedures Can Trigger Radiation Alarms
Twenty million nuclear medicine procedures that detect and evaluate heart disease, brain disorders and cancer-and that use radiopharmaceuticals to treat overactive thyroids and some cancers-are performed each year.
'Mismatched' prostate cancer treatment more common than expected
More than a third of men with early prostate cancer who participated in a study analyzing treatment choice received therapies that might not be appropriate, based on pre-existing problems with urinary, bowel or sexual function.
Radiation seeds effectively cure prostate cancer in young men
Radiation seed implants (brachytherapy) are just as effective at curing prostate cancer in younger men (aged 60 and younger) as they are in older men.
Jefferson radiation oncologists use real-time system to plant 'seeds' against cancer
Radiation oncologists and urologists at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia have begun using a real-time system to implant radiation-emitting seeds in prostate cancer patients.
Radiation therapy technique reduces length of prostate cancer treatment
Breihan Bridgewater suffers from emphysema. He sleeps on his side because when he lays flat on his back it feels like there's a boulder resting on his chest.
Prostate cancer patients see high survival rates with seed implants
More than ninety percent of men who receive appropriate radiation dose levels with permanent radiation seed implants to treat their prostate cancer are cured of their cancer eight years after diagnosis.
Breast cancer treatment procedure gives women more options
A new minimally invasive approach to partial breast irradiation provides another treatment option for women with breast cancer. The researchers presented their findings today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.
Radiation heart dose from MammoSite compared to IMRT for left-sided breast cancers
When compared to IMRT, MammoSite Brachytherapy does not always deliver lower doses of radiation to the heart during treatment of left sided breast cancers.
More Brachytherapy Current Events and Brachytherapy News Articles
 | Brachytherapy: Applications and Techniques 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... |
 | Radiotherapy in Practice - Brachytherapy (Radiotherapy in Practice) 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... |
 | Prostate Brachytherapy Made Complicated by Kent Wallner, Gregory Merrick, Michael J. Dattoli 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... |
 | Handbook of Vascular Brachytherapy by Ron Waksman, Patrick W. Serruys (Martin Dunitz) Cardiology Research Foundation, Wa Washington DC. Covers new developments in vascular brachytherapy. Different levels of efficacy, issues of dosimetry and complications related to the use of technology, including ten new chapters on new machines, techniques and tips, and recent clinical trials. For cardiologists, clinicians, and researchers. Previous edition:... |
 | Brachytherapy and IMRT: A Primer on Seed Implants and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy for Informed Patients by Michael J. Dattoli, M.D., Jennifer Cash, Don Kaltenbach 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,... |
 | The Physics of Modern Brachytherapy for Oncology (Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering) by Dimos Baltas, Loukas Sakelliou, Nikolaos Zamboglou Brachytherapy has become the modality of choice for several cancer localizations, minimizing the possibility of unacceptable risks for healthy tissues and providing a more cost-effective and convenient treatment for patients. Written by leading experts in the physics, development, and implementation of brachytherapy, The Physics of Modern Brachytherapy for Oncology discusses the subject in... |
 | Basic and Advanced Techniques in Prostate Brachytherapy Prostate brachytherapy (transperineal interstitial implantation of the prostate with either permanent or temporary radioactive sources) has evolved into a sophisticated and definitive treatment modality, used either as monotherapy or in combination with external beam radiation therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer. This popular form of therapy is frequently integrated with neoadjuvant... |
 | Achieving Quality in Brachytherapy (Medical Science Series) by B.R. Thomadsen Achieving Quality in Brachytherapy addresses the main issues that often prevent correct delivery of brachytherapy treatment. The book explains how to set up a functional quality assurance program in brachytherapy and covers all the steps needed to undertake particular treatment plans, from the initial planning required to the detailed specification. It highlights the importance of planning as a... |
| Californium-252 Brachytherapy and Fast Neutron Beam Therapy (Netherlands Music Archive) | |
 | Principles and Practice of Brachytherapy: Using Afterloading Systems 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.... |
| © 2008 BrightSurf.com |