Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men, with a five-year survival rate of 97%. With improving technologies and longer life expectancy for men with prostate cancer, the approach to treatment has had to evolve.
Dr. Christien Kluwe, a radiation oncologist at Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, emphasizes the need to balance disease control and quality of life for men with prostate cancer. One question that Kluwe asks is whether every prostate cancer patient needs androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) such as testosterone blockers. He is exploring ways to identify those who would significantly benefit from a decrease in testosterone and treating them with ADT, while avoiding unnecessary treatments for those who may not benefit as much.
Kluwe is also studying radiation techniques like stereotactic body radiation therapy, which has revolutionized treatment for prostate cancer patients. With this precise and powerful technique, the standard eight weeks of treatment can now be completed in just five days. This precision allows for targeted treatment of cancer cells while sparing surrounding healthy tissue, using tiny pellets the size of rice grains.
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