New data about radiation therapy for treatment of prostate cancer
April 23rd, 2010 Posted in radiation therapyMedicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) provided today advice and recommendations to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for what is covered by Medicare and Medicaid, based on scientific evidence. Today’s meeting focused on the risks, benefits and outcomes of radiation therapy treatments for localized prostate cancer as compared with watchful waiting.
In his remarks, ASTRO President Anthony Zietman, M.D., an expert in radiation therapy treatments for prostate cancer from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University in Boston, provided data on how successful radiation therapy techniques, including external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy, are at treating prostate cancer without significant side effects. He acknowledged that it is possible some men are receiving treatments for prostate cancer that would have done well without treatment through watchful waiting or active surveillance. However, doctors currently have little way to tell if a man’s prostate cancer will progress to be life-threatening or if it will remain somewhat asymptomatic.