Low-Dose Brachytherapy: a Viable Choice for Lower-Risk Patients
Patients with low-to-intermediate prostate cancer who receive low-dose permanent brachytherapy, a type of radiation therapy, have excellent outcomes in the long run, according to data recently presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 2017 Annual Conference. At nine years of follow-up, only a minority — 11-14 percent — of patients treated with either iodine-125 (I-125) or cesium-131 (Cs-131) brachytherapy had seen their cancer return, as assessed by a rise in PSA levels.
Brachytherapy is a relatively new cancer treatment that implants small radioactive seeds directly into a patient’s tumor. This ensures that radiation is delivered specifically to a cancer site while sparing healthy surrounding tissues. The seeds used in brachytherapy may be composed of diverse radioactive compounds. Cesium-131 seeds, in particular, have unique attributes that are seen to shorten treatment time and reduce common prostate side effects.
Results published in The International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics in August 2017 showed that patients treated with cesium-131 seeds have shorter recuperation periods, recovering their urinary, bowel, and sexual functions quicker than with other brachytherapy solutions. Iodine-125 seeds are also being used. Results found that the relapse-free survival rate was similar in both groups: 89% in the I-125 arm and 86% in the Cs-131 arm.
Together with the prior data, the findings support the use of low-dose permanent brachytherapy as a viable therapeutic option for localized and lower-risk prostate cancer patients.