Dr. Nguyen on the Role of Radiation Therapy in High-Risk Prostate Cancer

Paul L. Nguyen, MD, senior physician and professor of radiation oncology, Harvard Medical School, director, Genitourinary Clinical Center for Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses the role of radiation therapy in high-risk prostate cancer.

Typically, patients with high-risk prostate cancer who require radiation therapy are treated with a standard 2-year duration of hormonal therapy, Nguyen says. However, there remains some debate as to the optimal duration of hormonal treatment.

Ultimately, most randomized clinical trials are evaluating 2 years of hormonal therapy, adds Nguyen.

In Nguyen’s practice, he advocates for the ASCENDE-RT regimen of pelvic irradiation, ranging from 46 Gy to 50.4 Gy plus a brachytherapy boost.

Moreover, the combination of radiation therapy and a brachytherapy boost appears to be the optimal regimen for men with high-risk prostate cancer, concludes Nguyen.