SBRT Update and Changes

I just spoke with a friend who had an evaluation at Cleveland Clinic for PCa using SBRT. This latest information is second hand and I don’t know all the details of my friend’s diagnosis; however, I found the treatment changes interesting. My treatment at CCI was seven years ago. Today the fiducial markers are placed through the perineum rather than trans-rectal. SpaceOAR is used today rather than an endorectal balloon to direct radiation away from the rectum and help prevent prostate movement. They no longer use a body cast to stabilize the patient but rely on the accuracy of the CT scan and table adjustments. My treatment was five fractions every other day and my friends schedule will be five fractions but once per week for five weeks.

Radiation treatments are certainly still evolving as more information is gained regarding treatment outcomes. BTW my latest PSA continues to drop.

Sailor…Medical students all must take the Hippocratic Oath and one of the promises is to “first, do no harm”. Maybe that’s one of the reasons that medical care sometimes seems to move more slowly than we all would like. There’s little question in my mind that SBRT radiation treatment should be investigated for any recently diagnosed guy. I’m not inferring that one size fits all since there are other very effective options; however, far too many guys do not make fully informed treatment decisions.