UPMC study reports Cesium-131 Prostate Treatment provides strong Cancer Control

Dr. Benoit at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center noted, “Our program began using Cesium-131 in 2006 in hopes of decreasing the duration of the bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms that accompany prostate brachytherapy. Our hope was that cancer control with Cesium-131 would be equivalent to the cancer control we achieved with Iodine-125 and Palladium-103. However, our intermediate term results demonstrate that in addition to decreasing morbidity, oncologic outcomes with Cesium-131 are actually exceeding those of Iodine-125 and Palladium-103.”
Standard treatment options for localized prostate cancer include radical prostatectomy, external beam radiotherapy, and prostate brachytherapy. Radical prostatectomy is an invasive procedure with the highest risk of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction of all treatments for localized prostate cancer. External beam radiation has a lower risk of these complications, but requires eight weeks of daily therapy.
Prostate brachytherapy is a third treatment option for localized prostate cancer. Prostate brachytherapy has a significantly lower risk of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction when compared to radical prostatectomy, but very similar cure rates. Prostate brachytherapy is an outpatient procedure with a much faster return to full activity than radical prostatectomy. Men who undergo prostate brachytherapy for treatment of their prostate cancer also avoid the long course of treatment required when one undergoes external beam radiation.
A drawback of prostate brachytherapy, however, has been the bothersome urinary and bowel symptoms that can accompany the procedure. Previous studies have demonstrated that by using the isotope Cesium-131, the duration of these symptoms is dramatically decreased when compared to men who undergo prostate brachytherapy with the other available isotopes.