This post hoc analysis looked at a Phase III randomized controlled trial involving 329 patients with high-risk prostate cancer. The researchers compared intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) against three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) using androgen suppression. Because this was a post hoc analysis, the results should be interpreted with caution. The study included 296 patients in the final comparison.
The main findings showed that IMRT reduced the risk of severe acute and delayed gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicities compared to 3D-CRT. However, IMRT did increase the risk of mild acute genitourinary toxicities. There were no significant differences between the two techniques regarding biochemical failure-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, or overall survival.
The study notes that high-risk prostate cancer patients receiving external beam radiation often get IMRT as a standard treatment. This analysis suggests IMRT may be the preferred technique. Readers should remember this is a post hoc analysis, which limits the certainty of the findings. The study also lists non-randomized comparison as a limitation. Always discuss treatment options with a healthcare provider.
