Fewer, Larger Radiotherapy Doses Prove Safe For Prostate Cancer Patients
13 December 2011 - Less overall radiotherapy, delivered in fewer but higher doses, is as safe as standard, lower doses for treating prostate cancer, according to the first results from the large-scale CHHiP trial led by the ICR and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
A total of 457 men with prostate cancer were recruited to examine the safety and side-effects of higher individual doses of radiotherapy on bowel, bladder and sexual function. According to data analysed by the ICR’s Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit, these effects were similar to standard radiotherapy.
The men either received standard radiotherapy of 74 Gy** over 37 days (2 Gy a day), 60 Gy delivered over 20 days (3 Gy a day) or 57 Gy delivered in 19 days (3 Gy per day).
The next stage of the trial - which has become the largest ever academic trial in prostate cancer after recruiting 3216 men in total - will compare outcomes in the different patient groups.
Lead investigator Professor David Dearnaley said: “Earlier research suggests that prostate cancer cells may be more sensitive to higher individual doses of radiotherapy than other types of cancers. This could mean giving patients larger doses of radiotherapy per hospital visit, with fewer hospital trips and less radiotherapy needed overall. We are looking forward to the results of the next phase of the trial to see if this method ultimately offers patients better tumour control or fewer side-effects.”
