Men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer are more likely to be treated with proton beam therapy, a novel form of radiation therapy, if the technology is available nearby, a new study found.
In the study, researchers examined the treatment choices of nearly 20,000 men living inside or outside of a regional market for Loma Linda University, a hospital in Southern California with a proton beam facility. All men were diagnosed with low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer.
The treatment is often billed as having lower impotence and incontinence rates than other radiation treatment options, but there's a lack of evidence to support this.
Despite the added costs, there's no evidence to suggest that proton beam therapy results in better outcomes than other forms of prostate cancer treatment, including other forms of radiation, surgery or hormone therapy.
With the healthcare crisis looming and multiple treatment options available, newer, more expensive procedures for prostate cancer should be validated before they are implemented.
Read the full Reuters Health report:
Men opting for costly new prostate cancer treatment
