5 year Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer Results show 97% Effectiveness

The Proton Therapy Center Czech oncology team have published their 5 year results using a shortened schedule (‘ultrahypofractionated’) proton therapy to treat low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer. The results, published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology – Biology – Physics (IJROBP), has demonstrated a high 5-year disease-free survival of 96.9% for low-risk prostate cancer patients treated with proton therapy, with low-to-no side effects.

Between January 2013 and March 2016, 284 patients with prostate cancer were treated using intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT), with an ultrahypofractionated schedule. Data for 279 patients were prospectively collected and analysed – 43.4% of patients had low-risk, 44.8% had favourable-risk intermediate cancer, and 11.8% unfavourable-risk intermediate-risk cancer. 17.6% of patients underwent neoadjuvant hormonal therapy. Disease-free survival and and late side-effect profiles were analysed.

With respect to side effects, no patients experienced any grade 4 long-term side effects as a result of treatment. 1 patient (0.36%) experienced grade 3 side effects, which have since resolved. The vast majority of patients treated experienced low-to-no long-term serious side effects as a result of treatment, leading the researchers to conclude ultrahypofractionated proton beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer is effective with long-term disease-free survival rates comparable with other fractionation schedules and with minimal serious long-term GI and GU toxicity.

The study full study can be viewed here.

To find out if proton therapy is an appropriate treatment for you or a loved one, please contact Proton Therapy UK, the official British division of the Proton Therapy Center in Prague.