Recent evolution of prostate cancer treatment reflects technological arms races driven by economic incentives rather than high-quality evidence—as exemplified by proton-beam radiation, recently found markedly inferior to far less-expensive alternatives. Another study found promise for focal treatment, but much research is required before this could become a standard option.
Key Points
Proton-beam therapy for prostate cancer costs two to four times as much as standard alternatives and in a recent study has been shown to yield inferior quality-of-life outcomes. Focal therapy may eventually offer a favourable alternative, but much research is needed on patient selection, workup, follow up, and outcomes assessment.
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Cooperberg, M. For localized prostate cancer, does technology equal progress?. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 9, 371–372 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2012.96
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2012.96
