Hathal Haddad, Editorial Board of OncoDaily Medical Journal and Head of Interventional Radiotherapy Unit at the Department of Radiation Oncology at University Hospital Tübingen, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Age should not decide who gets a cure.
Can curative radiotherapy be safely offered to elderly patients (≥75 years) with prostate cancer?
This recent retrospective Data provides a clear and important answer:
- Study overview
- 973 patients treated with EBRT + HDR-Brachytherapy
- Propensity score matching (≥75 vs <75 years)
- Long-term follow-up (~7–9 years)
Key findings
- Biochemical control (7-year bFFF):
82.9% (≥75 yrs) vs 83.1% (<75 yrs) → no significant difference - Cancer-specific survival (7-year PCSS):
100% vs 99.3% → excellent outcomes in both groups - Toxicity:
No increase in GU or GI side effects in elderly patients
Higher dose (BED ≥243 Gy) → significantly improved tumor control
- Clinical implications
- Age alone should not determine treatment decisions
- HDR-Brachytherapy remains safe and effective in older patients
- Treatment selection should focus on tumor biology, risk profile, and patient fitness
Why this matters
With a globally aging population, these findings support a shift toward equitable, evidence-based access to curative treatment, avoiding undertreatment of elderly patients
‘Chronological age should not limit curative intent in prostate cancer’.”
Title: Retrospective analysis of high-dose-rate brachytherapy for patients with prostate cancer aged ≥ 75 years
Authors: Keiji Matsuda, Takeshi Ogata, Nobuhiko Kamitani, Kenta Watanabe, Ryoji Tokiya, Takafumi Hayashi, Yoshiyuki Miyaji, Kazumasa Komura, Tsutomu Tamada, Kuniaki Katsui
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