From page 85 of Technology in Cancer Research and Treatment, Volume 5, Number 2, April 2006 about adenocarcinoma of the prostate; we reviewed results in a large number of patients, treated to 74-75 GyE and followed for periods of up to 12 years. The overall 10 year biochemical disease-free survival rate in this series of 1,255 patients was 73% and was 90% in patients with initial PSA levels of 4.0 or less.
When I was treated at Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute (MPRI) in Bloomington, IN. , I received 79 Gy of radiation. Loma Linda analyzed disease free survival rates from more than 1,000 patients treated with conformal proton radiotherapy to determine whether a difference in outcome supervened for patients younger than 60 years of age versus those older. They found no statistically significant difference; rather, their analysis confirmed the well-known statistically significant predictors of outcome: pretreatment PSA level, clinical stage at diagnosis, and Gleason score. They concluded that age should not be used in and of itself to recommend one type of treatment over another for men with prostate cancer.
They have since determined that they are able to deliver a higher dose of proton radiation. They studied 393 patients with stage T1b through T2b prostate cancer and PSA levels less than 15 ng/ml. The median age was 67 years old and the median PSA was 6.3 ng/ml. The median follow up was 5.5 years. A randomized group of patients received a combination of conformal photon (x-ray) and proton beams, to a total dose of 70.2 Gy. Sixty one percent of these patients were free from biochemical failure at 5 years, as opposed to 80% of those receiving treatment at a higher dose of 79.2 Gy.
They continue to work to achieve disease free outcomes through proton beam therapy.
Tomorrow we’ll cover Pediatric Neoplasms.
Have a good Monday.
Blessings,
Rick