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Recently, there has been numerous study reports published that address the benefits of Hormone therapy combined with Radiation therapy in treating prostate cancer. This article wishes to provide readers some helpful updates with regards to the new standard treatment for prostate cancer.

In 1995 to 2005, a randomized study was jointly conducted by the National Cancer Institute of Canada, the United Kingdom Medical Research Council and the Southwest Oncology Group in the United States. 1,205 men with high risk prostate cancer in the United States, Canada and in United Kingdom were part of the study. These men were assigned with either receiving hormone therapy alone or a combined hormone therapy (with external beam radiation treatment). Follow ups were made among patients for an average of at least 6 years and findings from this study presents that adding radiation therapy significantly reduced the risk of death among the study group given with the combined therapy.

In another study report published by Bolla et al from an EORTC study in 1997 showed an increase in the probability of a progression-free and overall survival of European patients diagnosed with a locally advance prostate cancer high risk (T1-2 and T3-4NO-1MO) tumors. Patients who were given external beam radiation therapy plus an adjuvant hormonal therapy for three years showed an increase in survival rates compared to the patients who received external beam radiation therapy alone. Additional data from the American studies show similar results. According to this study, two to three years of hormone therapy combined with radiotherapy improves survival among patients but is accompanied by a number of adverse effects such as impotence, hot flashes and risk of acquiring heart attacks.

Horwitz et al reported a US study (RTOG 92-02) in 2008 that radiotherapy plus extended adjuvant hormone therapy for 28 months increased the probability of the disease-free survival and disease-specific survival rates among its study group. The group who received a combined therapy obtained a lower probability of a local progression of the prostate tumor and biochemical failure rates were also lowered. The combined therapy prevented further metastasis (spread) among its study group compared to the radiation therapy group. Overall the survival rates in this study showed an increase rates among patients with a pre-treatment Gleason score of 8-10 with no metastasis to the lymph node or the pelvis with a PSA level of 150 ng/ml and below.

Prostate cancer is believed to be caused by an exposure to the male hormones testosterone. An increase in the testosterone levels in the body stimulates prostate cancer cells to grow. Hormone therapy is given to patients diagnosed with prostate cancer as a means to decease the testosterone levels in the body, it is also referred as the Androgen Deprivation Therapy (in which production of male hormones are prevented). Radiation therapy is given to directly kill and destroy the cancer cells by using external beam radiation.

Numerous studies conclude that combination of hormone therapy plus radiation therapy promotes good survival rates. Hormone therapy helps by reducing tumor growth. It also potentiates killing of the cancer cells when combined with radiotherapy.

Urieashashlu Ul is an experienced prostate cancer health expert who has been helping people with prostate cancer. You can visit his site to learn more about the prostate cancer treatments.

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A study released this past week says that a short course of hormone therapy to help in the treatment of prostate cancer while undergoing radiation therapy improves the survival rate by 50%. The study was published in the March 24 edition of The Lancet Oncology, Doctors in Wellington, New Zealand studied 802 men an average of over ten years. This study shows the value of doctors studying how to effectively combine treatments for prostate cancer patients so that all men can have more and better options in their course of treatment to increase survivability.

New Zealand Study

The doctors in Wellington, New Zealand at the University of Otaga, stressed the need for early detection of prostate cancer and were pleased with the results of their study. They found a halving of the risks of dying following the use of hormone therapy in combination with radiation treatment of an aggressive form of cancer. The treatment included six months of hormone treatment for some of the patients, three months for others and no hormone therapy for the control group. The results revealed that those who were given the six month course of treatment had their risk of dying from cancer reduced by half. And, that they also had a 29 percent vs. a 43 percent from dying of any cause. Those who received the three month hormone treatment showed no difference from the control group, They also noted that long term use of the hormone used in the study may result in severe side effects, including heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, erectile dysfunction among others.

Hormone Therapy

For several years, the drugs used in hormone therapies have been under review by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has been concerned with the side effects of long term use of the prostate cancer drug called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists. This drug is found in at least seven name brand drugs and several generic products. They have been concerned with tumors becoming resistant to the drug, and the development of heart disease and diabetes from the use of the drugs. Doctors have been aware of the long term effects and caution patients who might be using these drugs for a longer period of time to watch their diets by reducing carbohydrates to control weight and to exercise. Exercise has been shown to help heart health and help in controlling weight. Doctors are always trying to balance the benefits of GnRH for their cancer patients and the negative effects of longer term use of the drug. This is made difficult because of the tendency of prostate cancer to be a slow growing cancer. The truth for prostate cancer patients is that for the majority of them, their cancer will not cause their death, but something else will.

Early Detection

For all men, early detection of prostate cancer is of utmost importance. The PSA test has been the simple blood test to aid doctors and patients in detecting their cancer. When the PSA test results begin to rise past six, doctors have had only one option to help determine if cancer is present. That option has always been a biopsy. A number doctors have been trying to find other simple blood tests that would be a better indicator of cancer. This is because only about a third of the biopsies reveal the presence of cancer. Two studies for better early detection use DNA and RNA levels in the blood or urine as indicators of cancer. In another study, the PCA3 level in the blood is used to determine if cancer is most probably present. The early tests show a high correlation between the higher levels of the test indicator and the presence of cancer when compared with biopsies. More studies need to be done to corroborate the early findings in these studies.

What Does It Mean

For all men, early detection is very important to reduce the risks of death by this cancer. More accurate tests before biopsies will allow men to avoid unnecessary pain and the chance of infection at the testing sites. The studies done to find more effective treatments to prolong our lives is very much in need. No man wants to leave his family before he needs to. Premature death leaves our families with bills that can be avoided through the successful management of the treatment of our prostate cancer. Increasing our life span is important for all men who strive to take care of our loved ones. The findings of the New Zealand doctors in halving the risk of dying from the more aggressive prostate cancers is a window of hope for the men who have been diagnosed with these cancers. More studies to confirm the findings of the New Zealand group will aid all doctors in helping their patients survive the devastating effects of cancer. the studies might also lead to better ways to detect and to treat this cancer of men.

Ronald Wood - The author was diagnosed with prostate cancer about a year ago (April 2010). He chose to treat his cancer with a radical prostatectomy. Due to his experience, he felt the need to create a place for men to get more information about prostate cancer, the treatments and the side effects of those treatments. You can look at his website at http://beforeprostatesurgery.com/

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