Meeting Coverage > > ASTRO– “It truly reveals us that we have 2 terrific choices,” specialist states
by Mike Bassett, Staff Writer, MedPage Today September 30, 2024
Patient-reported lifestyle (QoL) was comparable in between proton beam treatment (PBT) and intensity-modulated radiation treatment (IMRT) amongst males with localized prostate cancer, the randomized PARTIQoL trial revealed.
At 24 months, the mean modification in bowel function ratings was -2.4 in the PBT group versus -2.2 in the IMRT group (P=0.84), reported Jason A. Efstathiou, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, throughout a press instruction at the American Society for Radiation Oncology yearly conference in Washington, D.C.
QoL ratings for urinary inflammation (P=0.85) and urinary incontinence (P=0.99) were likewise comparable in between the 2 groups, and the mean modification in sexual function rating at 24 months was -10.6 with PBT and -6.0 with IMRT (P=0.05).
There was no statistically considerable distinction in progression-free survival rates in between the PBT and IMRT groups: 98.1% versus 99% at 24 months and 93.4% versus 93.7% at 60 months.
“IMRT and proton treatment deal clients with localized prostate cancer similarly exceptional quality-of-life results with extremely efficient growth control, without quantifiable distinctions in between the 2 methods,” Efstathiou stated.
Sameer Keole, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, who moderated journalism instruction, kept in mind that “for me, as a practicing radiation oncologist who does treatments for prostate cancer and has access to both protons and IMRT, I believe this is a remarkable research study. It actually reveals us that we have 2 fantastic choices.”
“The take-home point is that these control rates are incredible, and the issue rates were really, extremely low,” he included. “Men can go look for conclusive treatment with a radiation oncologist and understand that external radiation beam treatment, whether with proton beam treatment or IMRT, is an exceptional treatment choice when it is suitable.”
PARTIQoL is a stage III trial that randomized 450 males with low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer throughout 30 centers from June 2012 to November 2021. Of these males, 167 in the PBT group and 162 in the IMRT group finished a bowel QoL evaluation at 24 months.
Typical age was 68 years, 79-82% were white, and 12-13% were Black. Fifty-nine percent had intermediate-risk illness, 51% got hypofractionation, and 48% utilized a rectal spacer; 49% of PBT clients were treated with pencil beam scanning.
QoL was examined with the 100-point Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite tool.
In subgroup analyses, there was no distinction in bowel QoL ratings by age (≤ 65 years vs >> 65 years), illness threat (intermediate or low), rectal spacer usage, or fractionation schedule (standard or hypofractionation).
“Our research study was restricted to [patients with] localized low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer getting either traditionally or reasonably hypofractionated treatment,” Efstathiou acknowledged. “Our research study did not attend to higher-risk illness,