Proton therapy for prostate cancer: current state and future perspectives

2021 ◽  
pp. 20210670
Author(s):  
Yao-Yu Wu ◽  
Kang-Hsing Fan

Objective: Localized prostate cancer can be treated with several radiotherapeutic approaches. Proton therapy (PT) can precisely target tumors, thus sparing normal tissues and reducing side-effects without sacrificing cancer control. However, PT is a costly treatment compared with conventional photon radiotherapy, which may undermine its overall efficacy. In this review, we summarize current data on the dosimetric rationale, clinical benefits, and cost of PT for prostate cancer. Methods: An extensive literature review of PT for prostate cancer was performed with emphasis on studies investigating dosimetric advantage, clinical outcomes, cost-effective strategies, and novel technology trends. Results: PT is safe, and its efficacy is comparable to that of standard photon-based therapy or brachytherapy. Data on gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and sexual function toxicity profiles are conflicting; however, PT is associated with a low risk of second cancer and has no effects on testosterone levels. Regarding cost-effectiveness, PT is suboptimal, although evolving trends in radiation delivery and construction of PT centers may help reduce the cost. Conclusion: PT has several advantages over conventional photon radiotherapy, and novel approaches may increase its efficacy and safety. Large prospective randomized trials comparing photon therapy with proton-based treatments are ongoing and may provide data on the differences in efficacy, toxicity profile, and quality of life between proton- and photon-based treatments for prostate cancer in the modern era. Advances in knowledge: PT provides excellent physical advantages and has a superior dose profile compared with X-ray radiotherapy. Further evidence from clinical trials and research studies will clarify the role of PT in the treatment of prostate cancer, and facilitate the implementation of PT in a more accessible, affordable, efficient, and safe way.

2020 ◽  
Vol 93 (1107) ◽  
pp. 20190601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heike Thomas ◽  
Beate Timmermann

Proton beam therapy is a highly conformal form of radiation therapy, which currently represents an important therapeutic component in multidisciplinary management in paediatric oncology. The precise adjustability of protons results in a reduction of radiation-related long-term side-effects and secondary malignancy induction, which is of particular importance for the quality of life. Proton irradiation has been shown to offer significant advantages over conventional photon-based radiotherapy, although the biological effectiveness of both irradiation modalities is comparable. This review evaluates current data from clinical and dosimetric studies on the treatment of tumours of the central nervous system, soft tissue and bone sarcomas of the head and neck region, paraspinal or pelvic region, and retinoblastoma. To date, the clinical results of irradiating childhood tumours with high-precision proton therapy are promising both with regard to tumour cure and the reduction of adverse events. Modern proton therapy techniques such as pencil beam scanning and intensity modulation are increasingly established modern facilities. However, further investigations with larger patient cohorts and longer follow-up periods are required, in order to be able to have clear evidence on clinical benefits.


2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e15184-e15184
Author(s):  
Ravi K. Goyal ◽  
Anne-Marie Meyer ◽  
Nathan Christopher Sheets ◽  
Jerome J Federspiel ◽  
William Ruffin Carpenter ◽  
...  

e15184 Background: Proton therapy (PT) has received much public attention due to its higher costs and lack of evidence of clinical benefit compared to intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for prostate cancer treatment. In this economic study, we performed a threshold analysis to assess the reduction in toxicity that PT would need to achieve compared with IMRT to be considered cost-effective for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. Methods: SEER-Medicare data was used to identify a cohort, aged 66 years or older, receiving IMRT as definitive radiation therapy (n=4,540). We assumed equal disease control efficacy between IMRT and PT and simulated toxicity outcomes and costs using an incidence-based Markov model. The relative risk of composite toxicity, comparing PT to IMRT, was the efficacy parameter studied. Rates of therapy-induced toxicity associated with IMRT were obtained from SEER-Medicare data. Utility values to calculate quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) and costs (in 2011 US dollars) were obtained from the literature and claims data, respectively. Deterministic threshold analysis using a payer perspective and analytic horizon of 4 years post radiation was performed to determine the relative risk thresholds that would result in incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) of $50,000 and $100,000/QALY for PT versus IMRT. One-way sensitivity analyses were performed with the lowest and highest treatment costs of PT and IMRT. Results: ComparingPT against IMRT, the threshold values for the relative risk of composite toxicity were 0.318 and 0.588 at cost-effectiveness levels of $50,000/QALY and $100,000/QALY, respectively. Sensitivity analyses showed that the relative risk needed to achieve an ICER of 100,000/QALY ranged from 0.79 and 0.40 for the low and high cost estimates of PT, and from 0.47 to 0.72, for the low and high cost estimates of IMRT. Conclusions: Assuming equal disease control, PT would need to result in a 41% reduction in composite toxicity to be considered cost-effective in the treatment of Medicare beneficiaries with localized prostate cancer at a cost-effectiveness threshold of $100,000/QALY.


2007 ◽  
Vol 177 (4S) ◽  
pp. 130-130
Author(s):  
Markus Graefen ◽  
Jochen Walz ◽  
Andrea Gallina ◽  
Felix K.-H. Chun ◽  
Alwyn M. Reuther ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-179
Author(s):  
Antonis S. Manolis

Background: Intracoronary thrombus in acute Myocardial Infarction (MI) confers higher rates of no-reflow with attendant adverse consequences. Earlier Randomized-Controlled-Trials (RCTs) of routine thromboaspiration during Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) indicated a clinical benefit, but more recent RCTs were negative. However, data of selective use of this adjunctive approach remain scarce. </P><P> Objective: The aim of this single-centre prospective study was to report the results of selective thromboaspiration during PCI in patients with intracoronary thrombi, and also to provide an extensive literature review on current status of thromboaspiration. </P><P> Methods: The study included 90 patients (77 men; aged 59.3±12.7 years) presenting with acute MI (STElevation MI (STEMI) in 74, non-STEMI in 16) who had intracoronary thrombi and were submitted to thromboaspiration. </P><P> Results: Total (n=67) or subtotal (n=18) vessel occlusions were present in 85 (94%) patients. Thromboaspiration and subsequent PCI were successful in 89/90 (98.9%) patients, with coronary stenting in 86 (96.6%). In 4 patients with residual thrombus, a mesh-covered stent was implanted. IIb/IIIa-inhibitors were administered in 57 (63.3%) patients. No-reflow occurred in only 1 (1.1%) patient. The postprocedural course was uneventful. Review of the literature revealed several early observational and RCTs and meta-analyses favouring manual, not mechanical, thrombectomy. However, newer RCTs and meta-analyses significantly curtailed the initial enthusiasm for the clinical benefits of routine use of thromboaspiration. </P><P> Conclusion: Selective thromboaspiration for angiographically visible thrombi in MI patients undergoing PCI, as an adjunct to mechanical reperfusion and to IIb/IIIa-inhibitors, may be an option since this manoeuvre may improve procedural and clinical outcome.


2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Quercia ◽  
Ronald Abrahams ◽  
C. Michael White ◽  
John D'Avella ◽  
Mary Campbell

A pharmacy-managed anemia program included distribution and clinical components, with the goal of making epoetin alpha therapy for hemodialysis patients more cost-effective. The Pharmacy Department prepared epoetin alpha doses for patients in unit-dose syringes, utilizing and documenting vial overfill. Pharmacists dosed epoetin alpha and iron (oral and intravenous) per protocol for new and established patients. Baseline data were obtained in 1994, one year prior to implementation of the program, and were re-evaluated in 1995 and 1998. Cost avoidance from utilization of epoetin alpha vial overfill in 1995 and 1998 was $83,560 and $91,148 respectively. In 1995 and 1998, cost avoidance from pharmacy management of anemia was $191,159 and $203,985 respectively. The total cost avoidance from 1995 through 1998 was estimated at $1,018,638. The number of patients with hematocrits under 31% decreased from 32% in 1994 to 21% and 14% in 1995 and 1998 respectively. We conclude that a pharmacy-managed anemia program for hemodialysis patients results in significant cost savings and better achievement of target hematocrits.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 4109
Author(s):  
Mankgopo M. Kgatle ◽  
Tebatso M. G. Boshomane ◽  
Ismaheel O. Lawal ◽  
Kgomotso M. G. Mokoala ◽  
Neo P. Mokgoro ◽  
...  

Emerging research demonstrates that co-inhibitory immune checkpoints (ICs) remain the most promising immunotherapy targets in various malignancies. Nonetheless, ICIs have offered insignificant clinical benefits in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer (PCa) especially when they are used as monotherapies. Current existing PCa treatment initially offers an improved clinical outcome and overall survival (OS), however, after a while the treatment becomes resistant leading to aggressive and uncontrolled disease associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Concurrent combination of the ICIs with radionuclides therapy that has rapidly emerged as safe and effective targeted approach for treating PCa patients may shift the paradigm of PCa treatment. Here, we provide an overview of the contextual contribution of old and new emerging inhibitory ICs in PCa, preclinical and clinical studies supporting the use of these ICs in treating PCa patients. Furthermore, we will also describe the potential of using a combinatory approach of ICIs and radionuclides therapy in treating PCa patients to enhance efficacy, durable cancer control and OS. The inhibitory ICs considered in this review are cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4), programmed cell death 1 (PD1), V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), T cell Immunoglobulin Domain and Mucin Domain 3 (TIM-3), lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3), T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT), B7 homolog 3 (B7-H3) and B7-H4.


Author(s):  
Hiroki Sato ◽  
Takahiro Kato ◽  
Tomoaki Motoyanagi ◽  
Kimihiro Takemasa ◽  
Yuki Narita ◽  
...  

Abstract In recent years, a novel technique has been employed to maintain a distance between the prostate and the rectum by transperineally injecting a hydrogel spacer (HS). However, the effect of HS on the prostate positional displacement is poorly understood, despite its stability with HS in place. In this study, we investigated the effect of HS insertion on the interfraction prostate motion during the course of proton therapy (PT) for Japanese prostate cancer patients. The study population consisted of 22 cases of intermediate-risk prostate cancer with 11 cases with HS insertion and 11 cases without HS insertion. The irradiation position and preparation were similar for both groups. To test for reproducibility, regular confirmation computed tomography (RCCT) was done four times during the treatment period, and five times overall [including treatment planning CT (TPCT)] in each patient. Considering the prostate position of the TPCT as the reference, the change in the center of gravity of the prostate relative to the bony anatomy in the RCCTs of each patient was determined in the left–right (LR), superior–inferior (SI) and anterior–posterior (AP) directions. As a result, no significant difference was observed across the groups in the LR and SI directions. Conversely, a significant difference was observed in the AP direction (P &lt; 0.05). The proportion of the 3D vector length ≤5 mm was 95% in the inserted group, but 55% in the non-inserted group. Therefore, HS is not only effective in reducing rectal dose, but may also contribute to the positional reproducibility of the prostate.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 3373
Author(s):  
Milena Matuszczak ◽  
Jack A. Schalken ◽  
Maciej Salagierski

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer in men worldwide. The current gold standard for diagnosing PCa relies on a transrectal ultrasound-guided systematic core needle biopsy indicated after detection changes in a digital rectal examination (DRE) and elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level in the blood serum. PSA is a marker produced by prostate cells, not just cancer cells. Therefore, an elevated PSA level may be associated with other symptoms such as benign prostatic hyperplasia or inflammation of the prostate gland. Due to this marker’s low specificity, a common problem is overdiagnosis, which leads to unnecessary biopsies and overtreatment. This is associated with various treatment complications (such as bleeding or infection) and generates unnecessary costs. Therefore, there is no doubt that the improvement of the current procedure by applying effective, sensitive and specific markers is an urgent need. Several non-invasive, cost-effective, high-accuracy liquid biopsy diagnostic biomarkers such as Progensa PCA3, MyProstateScore ExoDx, SelectMDx, PHI, 4K, Stockholm3 and ConfirmMDx have been developed in recent years. This article compares current knowledge about them and their potential application in clinical practice.


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