Researchers have discovered that radiation therapy, surgery (prostatectomy) and "watchful waiting" or active monitoring all lead to survival rates of 99 percent within a 10-year period for men with prostate cancer.
In two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers compared the treatment options by randomly assigning 1,643 men to receive radiotherapy, surgery or active monitoring from 1999 to 2009. After 10 years, the researchers assessed mortality rates, cancer spread and progression and treatment impact as reported by the subjects.
Initially, the researchers expected a survival rate of about 90 percent so they were quite surprised when their findings revealed a 99-percent survival rate, regardless of the treatment provided.
The active monitoring group (545 subjects) reported a 50-percent higher rate of spread and progression of the disease compared to those who received radiotherapy (545 subjects) or surgery (553 subjects), but they were also less likely to have dealt with unpleasant treatment side effects than the other two groups.
These side effects were most prominent the year after the radiotherapy and surgery groups received treatment, but they persisted after six years, especially in the surgery group, who reported of problems with their sex life and urine leakage.
However, at any time, overall quality of life was not affected by the treatment assigned to the subjects.
According to Jenny Donovan, a co-investigator for the study, this is the first time the three prostate cancer treatment options were directly compared.
"The results provide patients and clinicians with detailed information about the effects and impacts of each treatment so that they can make an informed decision about which treatment to have," she said.
To see how the treatment options will fare beyond 10 years, the Donovan and colleagues are seeking a longer follow-up. This will also help in better understanding how lethal and non-lethal forms of the disease can be distinguished from each other.
According to the researchers, the results of the study can also be used in determining whether or not and how to screen for prostate cancer.
Recently, researchers for another study published in the journal Current Medical Research and Opinion have questioned the value of rectal exams to screen for prostate cancer, saying the screening method may be used in certain situations but more modern means are more effective.
The American Cancer Society states that prostate cancer can be a serious disease, but most men diagnosed with the disease will not die from it. Still, it's the second most common form of cancer in men, with some 240,000 Americans getting it every year and about 30,000 dying from the disease annually. Estimates for 2016 put these figures at 180,890 diagnosed cases and 26,120 deaths.
Photo: Kevin Dooley | Flickr
