PHILADELPHIA (September 28, 2016) – Radiation treatment can be delivered to patients with prostate cancer at a higher dose and in a shorter amount of time with limited adverse effects, according to recent data from Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 2016 Annual Meeting.
Researchers conducted a randomized trial comparing hypofractionated radiotherapy in which a higher daily dose was administered for six weeks to the current standard of care, conventionally fractionated radiotherapy, which is a lower daily dose administered for eight weeks. They found no statistically significant difference in long-term toxicity between the two groups.
“We are able to deliver the same care faster, and there are multiple potential benefits to this,” said lead study author Talha Shaikh, MD, resident physician in Radiation Oncology at Fox Chase. “Hypofractionated radiotherapy can potentially result in similar treatment outcomes while reducing treatment time for the patient.”
The quicker course of treatment can also benefit hospitals and health care systems because the reduced number of visits cuts down on costs.
“With increasing data supporting hypofractionation, it could be seen as an acceptable standard in the future,” Shaikh said. “This development is good news for everyone — patients, physicians, and health care systems.”