At five years following RT, survival rates for men who received brachytherapy alone were comparable to those who underwent more aggressive radiation treatment. The PFS rate at five years post-treatment was 85 percent for EBT+B patients and 86 percent for B patients (Hazard Ratio, HR, 1.02; futility p = 0.0006).

Although PFS rates were comparable between treatment groups, differences emerged in the rates of more serious side effects. Overall toxicity levels were similar across groups only for acute side effects (i.e., those that occur closely following treatment), with eight percent of patients in each cohort reporting acute grade 3+ side effects. Late severe toxicities were more common for EBT+B patients (12 percent) than for B patients (7 percent), as were severe GU side effects GU (7 vs. 3 percent) and severe GI toxicities (3 vs. 2 percent).


"These findings suggest that many men with intermediate risk prostate cancer can be well managed with seed implant alone and do not require the addition of external beam radiation," said Bradley Prestidge, MD, lead author of the study and Medical Director of the Bon Secours Cancer Institute at DePaul Medical Center in Norfolk, Virginia. "Contrary to expectations, the more aggressive, combined treatment did not result in superior cancer control rates at five years follow-up, indicating that men can achieve a similar survival benefit with fewer late side effects through brachytherapy alone."

The abstract, "Initial Report of NRG Oncology/RTOG 0232: A Phase III Study Comparing Combined External Beam Radiation and Transperineal Interstitial Permanent Brachytherapy with Brachytherapy Alone for Selected Patients with Intermediate Risk Prostatic Carcinoma Identification and Validation of Intrinsic Subtypes of Prostate Cancer," will be presented in detail during a scientific session at ASTRO's 58th Annual Meeting at 2:15 p.m. Eastern time on Monday, September 26, 2016. To speak with Dr. Prestidge or obtain a copy of the study abstract, please contact ASTRO's media relations team on-site at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center on September 25-28, by phone at 703-286-1600 or by email at press@astro.org.


ABOUT ASTRO'S ANNUAL MEETING
ASTRO's 58th Annual Meeting, the nation's premier scientific meeting in radiation oncology, will be held September 25-28, 2016, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston. The 2016 Annual Meeting is expected to attract more than 11,000 attendees from across the globe, including oncologists from all disciplines and members of the entire radiation oncology team. Led by ASTRO president David C. Beyer, MD, FASTRO, the 2016 meeting will feature keynote addresses from Kathleen Sebelius, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services; Thomas James Lynch Jr., MD, Chair and CEO, Massachusetts General Physicians Organization; and Jason Ragogna, general manager, SMS and Safety Alliances, Corporate Safety, Security, and Compliance, Delta Air Lines, Inc. The Presidential Symposium, "Prostate Cancer: Defining Value and Delivering It," highlights the meeting's theme of "Enhancing Value, Improving Outcomes" and will feature recent practice-changing studies and current developments in value-based care for prostate cancer. ASTRO's four-day scientific meeting will feature a record number of abstracts, including 368 oral presentations, 1,760 posters and 180 digital posters in more than 50 educational sessions and 20 scientific panels for 20 disease-site tracks. For more information about ASTRO's 58th Annual Meeting, visit www.astro.org/AnnualMeeting. For press registration and news briefing information for ASTRO's 58th Annual Meeting, visit www.astro.org/AMPress.

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