Year after year, the Isoray team attends the American Urological Association annual meeting – it is undoubtedly one of the events we look forward to most. During last year’s AUA meeting, there was limited data presented on the use of targeted (focal) therapy. In looking forward to AUA 2018, we suspect that will change. 2017 was a landmark year in which clinical data supporting the effectiveness of prostate brachytherapy in the control of localized disease continued to build. ASCENDE-RT, ASCO recommendations and new data on the long-term quality of life in prostate cancer patients treated with Cesium-131 could mark a resurgence in brachytherapy.
International Journal of Radiation Oncology: At Median 5.5 Years Post-Treatment, Patients Sustain Quality of Life [with patients treated with Cesium-131]
In a 2017 study, the UPMC departments of Urology and Radiation Oncology found that at 5.5 years post-treatment, there were no clinically significant changes found in the EPIC scores from baseline, demonstrating insignificant long-term changes in urinary or bowel patient-reported quality of life with Cesium-131 prostate brachytherapy. The report concludes that patients treated with Cesium-131 are able to recover from prostate cancer treatment quickly and then maintain their baseline quality of life over the long term.
Dr. Ron Benoit, urologist and study author stated, “We have previously reported that Cesium-131 leads to quicker recovery of voiding function, with return to clinical baseline by 3 months and statistical baseline by 6 months post-treatment. Our current findings strengthen this body of literature by demonstrating that patients treated with the Cesium-131 isotope are able to maintain this baseline quality of life in the long term.” Read more.
During AUA this year, Dr. Benoit will be presenting with a debate panel on low to intermediate risk prostate cancer treatment options taking place on Friday, May 18th from 3:30pm – 5pm.
Brachytherapy is a value-based treatment for prostate cancer
Brachytherapy has suffered a decrease in utility for prostate cancer treatments in the past several years. This is particularly disturbing given the available scientific data that indicates brachytherapy is a value-based course of treatment that improves outcomes (including quality of life) and reduces overall costs in prostate cancer care. We aim to help change this to the benefit of tens of thousands of men with prostate cancer.
“The decision to do less brachytherapy and more IMRT was wrong.”
Last year’s ASCENDE-RT Trial results demonstrated a strong statistical improvement in outcomes for intermediate- and high-risk patients when external beam radiation (EBRT) and hormone therapy is combined with brachytherapy versus EBRT and hormone treatment alone.
“We were very excited about the promise of IMRT. What made it so attractive was that it allowed for dose escalation. Oncologists and urologists—I include myself—thought that dose escalation with IMRT alone was good enough.”
Read more from an in-depth article recently published in Radiology Today featuring David Beyer, MD, medical director of the Cancer Centers of Northern Arizona.
Connect with Isoray at AUA
Connect with the Isoray team at AUA 2018 to learn about Cesium brachytherapy’s ability to improve patient outcomes while reducing costs by visiting booth #6445. To schedule a meeting time in advance, contact Isoray’s Ron Petersen via email: rpetersen@isoray.flywheelstaging.com.
