Radiotherapy Benefits Patients with Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Radiotherapy Benefits Patients with Metastatic Prostate Cancer
… and using VMAT and image guidance technology makes it well tolerated
New research has shown how radiotherapy combined with others standard treatments for advanced prostate cancer can extend life while avoiding significant side-effects.
This was the finding of the STAMPEDE international study shows benefits from radiotherapy for prostate cancer, conducted by a combination of British-based researchers. This backs up previous data presented to the 2018 European Society of medical Ongology Congress.
Combining radiotherapy to the prostate and hormone therapy can raise survival rates among men with advanced prostate cancer by an additional 11 %, which amounts to two extra years of life on average.
This will be good news for men visiting our Amethyst radiotherapy centre in the Vienna Private Clinic Cancer Center , as the life-extending benefits do not stop there. Especially by using VMAT and Image guidance technology therapy can be applied with a highly focused precision allowing healthy organs to stay unharmed a lot better so therapy will be tolerated well and to maintain the best possible quality of life next to improving life expectancy.
For example, the research found that 65 per cent of men who had recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer that had spread to the bones and lymph nodes and received radiotherapy on top of hormone treatment survived for at least five years. This compares with a five-year survival rate of 53 per cent of those who did not have radiotherapy.
Chief investigator of the STAMPEDE trial Professor Nick James acknowledged that the original 2018 findings had been “surprising”. He added: “Previous thinking was that if the cancer had spread then the horse had bolted and there was no point in shutting the stable door by treating the original disease site.”
Furthermore, he said, the findings suggest prostate cancer sufferers will not be alone in benefitting, commenting: “This could potentially benefit people with other cancers that have spread to other parts of the body too.”
According to the World Cancer Research Fund, there were more than 1.4 million cases of prostate cancer globally in 2020, with 375,000 deaths. The cancer is the fourth most common cancer overall and the second most common for men.
Medical Advisory Dr. David Kuczer
Prostate cancer statistics | World Cancer Research Fund International (wcrf.org)
