Safety and Efficacy of Virtual Prostatectomy With Single-Dose Radiotherapy in Patients With Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer

[dentaltwin]

FYI:

jamanetwork.com/journals/ja...

Not sure I like the use of the term "virtual" prostatectomy. Several years ago something called a "brush biopsy" was promoted to dentists. IMO it was NOT a biopsy (though apparently the company was very aggressive in going after anyone who insisted it wasn't); it was cytology.

I don't like the nomenclature; still, if this holds up, it's great.

[Tall_Allen]

"while in the unfavorable category, the actuarial 4-year PSA relapse-free survival values were 75.0% vs 64.0% (HR, 0.76; 90% CI, 0.17-3.31) for SBRT vs SDRT, respectively." So given the equal toxicity, what is the advantage?

I'm very skeptical of no fractionation based on this:

prostatecancer.news/2017/01...

[dentaltwin in reply to Tall_Allen]

Well, yeah. I'm more than a little rusty on my medical statistics, but that's an awful wide confidence interval. Maybe no advantage, other than the convenience, and 4-year relapse-free survival ain't really enough.

[Tall_Allen in reply to dentaltwin]

You are right that it is statistically not different,but the sample was underpowered to detect a difference. Even if they are the same - I can't see any advantage - 5 10-minute treatments was really nothing, and the more mature, multi-institutional clinical data on HDR brachy and the radiobiology theory indicates a risk.

[cesces]

Interesting. But not quite ready for prime time.