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Comparing Radiation Therapies for Prostate Cancer
Untitled Document
Name of the Trial
Phase III Randomized Study of Hypofractionated Versus Conventionally Fractionated
Three-Dimensional Conformal or Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy in Patients
With Favorable-Risk Stage II Prostate Cancer (RTOG-0415). See the protocol
summary.
Principal Investigator
Dr. W. Robert Lee, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group.
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Dr. W. Robert Lee
Principal Investigator |
Why This Trial Is Important
Radiotherapy is a standard treatment for prostate cancer. Typically, men with
localized prostate cancer who undergo external-beam radiotherapy (as opposed
to radioactive seed implants) are treated five days a week for 8 to 10 weeks,
with only a fraction of the total prescribed radiation dose administered each
day of treatment.
Some studies suggest that a conventional 8-10 week course of radiotherapy may
not be the most effective or economical way of treating these patients. Consequently,
researchers are studying whether increasing the dose of radiation during each
day of treatment and delivering the total radiation dose over a shorter period
of time (called hypofractionated radiotherapy) may be an equally effective approach
to treating prostate cancer.
In this trial, men with favorable-risk, localized prostate cancer will be randomly
assigned to receive conventionally fractionated radiation therapy over the course
of about eight weeks (41 daily treatments) or hypofractionated radiotherapy
over a five-and-a-half week period (28 daily treatments).
"Previous studies of hypofractionated radiotherapy were not designed to
tell us if the technique works as well as conventional regimens in terms of
helping patients live longer without recurrence of their cancer," said
Dr. Lee. "This trial is designed answer that question."
"If we determine that we can deliver radiation over a shorter period of
time with similar efficacy, we may realize benefits in terms of cost and convenience
for patients as well."
Who Can Join This Trial
Researchers will recruit 1,067 men aged 18 or over with favorable-risk stage
II prostate cancer. See the list
of eligibility criteria.
Study Site and Contact Information
Multiple study sites in the United States are recruiting patients for this
trial. See the list
of study sites or call the NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER
(1-800-422-6237) for more information. The toll-free call is confidential.
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