Increased survival rate in prostate cancer patients with addition of hormone therapy treatments (Helpful after radiotherapy, but not before radiotherapy)

Medical Xpress / University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center / The Lancet Oncology ^ | Jan. 18, 2022 | Amar U Kishan et al

[ConservativeMind]

Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer in men worldwide, and radiotherapy is one of the common forms of treatment. Researchers show that there is consistent improvement in overall survival in men with intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer with the addition of hormone therapy to radiotherapy treatments.

"Our research team set out to conduct a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive analysis by collecting individual patient data from each and every randomized trial conducted around the world, and performed a meta-analysis of the impact of various treatment intensification strategies using hormone therapy with radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer," said Daniel E. Spratt, MD.

The team made three key discoveries:

1) Men with intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer have an increased survival rate from the addition of hormone therapy to radiotherapy. This was seen in both younger and older men, and in men treated with lower and higher doses of radiotherapy.

2) Survival rate in men with prostate cancer improves with the prolongation of adjuvant hormone therapy to radiotherapy. This benefit was seen in both younger and older men, in men treated with lower and higher doses of radiotherapy, and in men with both intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer.

3) Neoadjuvant hormone therapy before radiotherapy did not benefit men in any outcome measured. This is an important finding, because some countries routinely give extended durations of hormone therapy before radiotherapy. The team showed that this method isn't advantageous over shorter durations.

"We now have estimates that show the benefit of adding and prolonging adjuvant hormone therapy for clinically relevant subsets of patients," explained Dr. Spratt. "Our team showed that treating a group of approximately ten to 15 men with hormone therapy or extended adjuvant hormone therapy, for at least 18 months, prevented one man from developing metastatic disease ten years after treatment."

[ops33]

Any man diagnosed with prostate cancer and still looking at treatment options should investigate proton radiation therapy. That is, if there is a proton facility near you. There are 36 treatment facilities operating in the US with more under construction. Was diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer 8 years ago with proton radiation. I had 44 sessions and the worse side effect was loose stools. A couple of years ago I asked my doctor if my cancer was cured. He said it is cured as cured can be. If available, I urge men to check it out.