Effective treatment for aggressive prostate cancer that's still contained within the prostate

Effective treatment for aggressive prostate cancer that's still contained within the prostate

Thanks to your support, we were able to fund a clinical trial testing a technique called high dose-rate brachytherapy to treat high-risk localised prostate cancer in men. This form of cancer is aggressive yet remains confined to the prostate. The trial set out to find whether adding small radioactive sources directly into the prostate, alongside external beam radiotherapy, would be more effective than external beam radiotherapy alone. This trial started in 1997 and the research team has continued to monitor men who took part in the trial.

Results showed that treatment with brachytherapy was a safe and effective way to treat high-risk localised prostate cancer. After 12 years of following men in the trial, researchers found that treatment reduced the risk of the cancer returning by 21%. In 2014, NICE, the UK’s health regulator, officially recommended this treatment to help give more men access to it.

Steve was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2019, aged 53, and successfully treated with brachytherapy. Going through prostate cancer has definitely changed Steves view on life. So much of his time used to be spent at work, but now Steve spends more time with his family and feels more relaxed.

From research idea to access for all

Idea

High dose-rate brachytherapy is a treatment where thin tubes are inserted into the prostate, and a source of radiation is delivered through the tubes directly to destroy cancer cells. The radiation source is then removed, so no radiation remains in the body. In the 1990s, men were treated with external beam radiotherapy alone, and there was no clear evidence that adding brachytherapy improved outcomes for men with prostate cancer.

Lab research

External beam radiotherapy was the standard treatment and could eradicate prostate cancer, but it came with a number of life-changing side effects. The team led by Professor Peter Hoskin from Mount Vernon wanted to find a way to increase the amount of radiotherapy delivered to prostate cancer cells whilst limiting damage to surrounding normal tissue.  

Clinical trial

At the time, radiotherapy trials weren’t that well regarded. It meant it was tricky for researchers to get funding. Through your support we were able to provide funding to the team to keep the trial running.

Approved for use

The trial was more positive than anyone could have predicted, with 21% fewer men having their prostate cancer return. The trial was the crucial breakthrough doctors and health regulators needed to make high dose-rate brachytherapy available to men across the UK. 

Access for all

Without funding from Prostate Cancer UK, this new treatment may never have come about. As high dose-rate brachytherapy reduces recurrence in many men, it’s likely far more men would have their cancer come back if we had not provided the funding that made this trial possible.