Does age matter in selection of treatment for men with early-stage prostate cancer?

	Tweet

For men under the age 55 with localized prostate cancer, external beam radiation may be an effective alternative to both conservative and more invasive treatments, according to a new study.

Published in the June 15, 2006 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study reveals that external beam radiation therapy is as effective in younger prostate cancer patients as it is in older patients with same stage, localized disease. The study is the first to investigate the outcome of radiation in men under 55 years of age.

Age remains a controversial factor in prostate cancer, with younger age at diagnosis perceived to be associated with more aggressive disease and poorer prognosis. Consequently, physicians tend to recommend more aggressive treatments, such as radical prostatectomy, to younger patients, even those with local, non-metastatic disease. Older patients diagnosed with similar organ-limited disease, however, are offered more choices, including external beam radiation therapy. Recently studies have shown that radiation therapy is effective in treating localized prostate cancer in elderly patients and in men under 65 years of age.

Andre Konski, M.D., M.B.A., M.A, Clinical Research Director, Radiation Oncology Department at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, and colleagues compared how men 55 and under fared five years after diagnosis compared to men between 60 and 69 and men 70 and over, looking at survival, disease progression, and whether blood tests (PSA) showed signs of disease recurrence. All the men had localized prostate cancer and were treated with external beam radiation.

They found no statistically significant differences in the outcomes of these three age groups after five years: 94 percent, 95 percent and 87 percent of patients in each respective age category were alive five years after diagnosis; 96 percent, 97 percent and 98 percent of patients in each respective age category were without metastatic disease; and 82 percent, 76 percent, and 70 percent of patients in each respective age category had no evidence of disease recurrence according to blood.

While this study did not compare radiation to other therapies, “external beam radiation at appropriate dose levels has been shown to be equivalent to permanent prostate seed implant and radical prostatectomy in the treatment of patients with stage T1-2 prostate cancer,” say the authors. Because younger men with localized disease respond as well as older men to radiation, the authors suggest that this less invasive treatment option should be considered for this patient population.

http://www.canceronline.wiley.com/

RELATED STORIES:
Researchers find prostate cancer stem cell   Why African-American Men Are at Higher Risk for Prostate Cancer   Swiss study finds income affects prostate cancer patients’ survival   Minimally invasive breakthrough for men’s enlarged prostates improves symptoms   Acquisition of Robotic Technology Leads to Increased Rates of Prostate Cancer Surgery   Gene Markers Located for Hereditary Prostate Cancer   Brisk walking may help men with prostate cancer, UCSF study finds   Obesity raises risk of prostate cancer recurrence   Screening spares men from advanced prostate cancer   Heavy drinking may boost prostate cancer risk   Scientists see progress in prostate cancer tests   Selected Men with Low-Risk Prostate Cancer Have Good Clinical Outcomes without Immediate Treatment   Hormonal Dietary Supplements Might Promote Prostate Cancer Progression   Genetic factors implicated in survival gap for breast, ovarian or prostate cancer   Obese men less likely to get biopsy after PSA screening   Gene test may help spot lethal prostate tumors   Red, processed meats linked to prostate cancer   Sometimes No Treatment is the Right Option for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer   Prostate cancer treatment choices vary based on type of specialist consulted   High-Grade Prostate Cancer Linked to Diabetes   Why are African Americans less Likely to Survive Certain Cancers?   Cancer in sister affects black men’s cancer risk

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]