Stereotactic body radiotherapy shows comparable efficacy to surgery for prostate cancer

New clinical data presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting suggests that stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a highly effective non-surgical alternative to radical prostatectomy for patients with localized prostate cancer.

The PACE-A randomized controlled trial, which followed 123 patients over a median of eight years, found that 91% of those treated with SBRT remained free from biochemical or clinical failure, compared to 84% of those who underwent surgery. While the difference in cancer control was not statistically significant, SBRT demonstrated superior outcomes regarding quality of life. Specifically, patients receiving SBRT reported significantly lower rates of urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction compared to the surgical group.

Complementary research from UCLA suggests that genetic testing, such as the PROSTOX test, may eventually help clinicians identify men at higher risk for radiation-induced urinary side effects, allowing for more personalized treatment plans. Additionally, researchers at Texas A&M are conducting a $2 million NIH-funded study to explore natural substances from plants and microbes that may target advanced prostate cancer cases that have become resistant to hormone therapy.