Study: Different Treatments Yield Similar Prostate Cancer Cure Rates

While a man diagnosed with localized prostate cancer is confronted with a variety of treatment options, new research suggests that it does not really make much difference which one he chooses.

Cure rates are just about equal for prostate cancer patients treated with surgery, radiation, permanent seed implants or permanent seed implants combined with radiation therapy, according to a new study reported in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology·Biology·Physics.

In recent years, radical prostatectomy, various forms of external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy have all been promoted as options for treating clinical stage T1 and T2 localized prostate cancer.

In this study of 1,973 of the patients treated at Cleveland Clinic Foundation and 1,018 treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering at Mercy Medical Cente, researchers reviewed the biochemical relapse-free survival rates of the men following their therapies.

The researchers found that the biochemical failure rates or cure rates were similar among permanent seed implantation, high-dose external beam radiotherapy, combined seed/external beam radiotherapy and surgery for localized prostate cancer. Outcomes were significantly worse for patients treated with low-dose external beam radiotherapy.

“This study represents the largest published series comparing the most frequently used therapies for patients with clinically localized prostate cancer,” said Dr. Patrick A. Kupelian of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Orlando, FL.

“The results show that survival rates are pretty much the same for patients treated with surgery, high-dose external beam radiation therapy, permanent seed implants and a combination of permanent seed implants and external beam radiation therapy. We hope that this study will help men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer and their families evaluate the treatment options to make the best treatment choice for their cancer and lifestyle," Kupelian said.

Other Sources: International Journal of Radiation Oncology·Biology·Physics