ASTRO 2024: Proton beam therapy and IMRT yield similar prostate cancer outcomes

Both proton beam therapy (PBT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) provide similar quality of life (QOL) outcomes for patients with localized prostate cancer, with no significant differences in bowel, urinary, or sexual functions in this clinical trial.

In the PARTIQol trial, conducted across 30 centers, 450 patients (median age, 68 years) with intermediate- or low-risk prostate cancer were randomized to either PBT (n=226) or IMRT (n=224). Primary endpoint was change in bowel QOL at 24 months, with secondary endpoints including urinary and sexual functions, toxicity, and efficacy.

Key findings

At 24 months, there was no difference in the mean change in bowel function scores between the two groups (-2.4 in the PBT group vs. -2.2 in the IMRT group; P=0.84). No differences were observed in other domains (urinary, sexual, hormonal) at any time point. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference in progression-free survival rates between the PBT and IMRT groups (98.1% vs. 99% at 24 months and 93.4% vs. 93.7% at 60 months).

Source:

Efstathiou, J.A., et al. (2024, October 1). International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics. Prostate Advanced Radiation Technologies Investigating Quality of Life (PARTIQoL): Phase III Randomized Clinical Trial of Proton Therapy vs. IMRT for Localized Prostate Cancer. https://www.redjournal.org/article/S0360-3016(24)03237-1/fulltext