Higher doses of radiation may improve survival in men with medium- and high-risk prostate cancers, but it does not do the same for those with low-risk disease, a new study suggests. As is the case with many cancers, doctors must balance the risks and side effects of radiation therapy against its potential benefits when deciding if it's right for a particular patient. When it comes to prostate cancer, "surgery and radiation treatments remain equal options for men with this disease," noted Dr. Louis Potters, chair of the department of radiation medicine at North Shore-LIJ Health System in Great Neck, N.Y.
So when is radiation warranted, and at what dose, based on the aggressiveness of the tumor? The new study, led by radiation oncology resident Dr. Anusha Kalbasi of the University of Pennsylvania, looked at the issue using data from more than 42,000 prostate cancer patients. Some of the…
