More radiation in shorter treatments

In this study researchers compared conventional radiation therapy to hypofractionated radiotherapy.

Radiation therapy is a treatment used to kill cancer cells and is commonly used in the treatment of prostate cancer patients. Recent research suggests that increasing radiation doses above those used in conventional treatments may reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. However, increasing radiation doses may also significantly increase the risk of side effects. Breaking radiation therapy into several doses has been shown to reduce side effects. A new approach to radiotherapy called hypofractionation aims at delivering greater amounts of radiation in a shorter period of time, and may allow patients to receive large amounts of radiation without increasing the amount of unwanted side effects.

Researchers compared 303 prostate cancer patients who received either conventional intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT; a commonly used radiotherapy technique) or hypofractionated IMRT (HIMRT). Conventional IMRT patients received a dose of 2 Gy (Gy, or gray, is a unit of radiation) per treatment over the course of 38 treatments. HIMRT patients received 2.7 Gy per treatment over the course of 26 treatments.

After a 5 year follow-up, the likelihood of prostate cancer recurring was not significantly different between the two groups. 21.4% of CIMRT patients and 23.3% of HIMRT patients experienced cancer recurrence. The overall rate of side effects was also similar among patients receiving HIMRT compared to patients receiving standard therapy. However, among patients with urinary dysfunction before radiotherapy, those receiving HIMRT were more likely to experience a greater decline in urinary function following treatment.

This study concluded that hypofractionated radiotherapy results in the same protection from prostate cancer recurrence as standard treatment, without increasing the rate of unwanted side effects.

Some of the researchers involved in this study have received funding from companies that develop and manufacture radiotherapy equipment.