Dr. Daniel Hamstra on the Noninferiority of Shorter Radiotherapy Regimens in Prostate Cancer
Hamstra says that shorter regimens of radiotherapy for men whose prostates remained in tact post-surgery proved to be noninferior when compared to longer regimens. He adds that these shorter regimens are more convenient for patients, as well as more cost effective.
Daniel Hamstra, MD, PhD, radiation oncologist, Texas Center for Proton Therapy, Texas Oncology, discusses radiotherapy in different doses as a treatment for prostate cancer. Hamstra says that shorter regimens of radiotherapy for men whose prostates remained in tact post-surgery proved to be noninferior when compared to longer regimens. He adds that these shorter regimens are more convenient for patients, as well as more cost effective.
Hamstra says the study titled RTOG 0415, conducted with roughly 1000 patients in the United States, compared an 8 week regimen of radiotherapy to a regimen of 5.5 weeks and found that the outcomes were "virtually identical" for recurrence and long term side effects. Hamstra adds that there was a very small increase in gastrointestinal side effects. The CHIP trial, conducted in Great Britain with over 3000 patients, resulted with similar data.
