Prostate Cancer :: SCI announces CyberKnife clinical trial for prostate cancer patients

Benefis Healthcare’s Sletten Cancer Institute announces plans for a prostate cancer clinical trial that begins this month, and is seeking patients to participate in the trial. A total of 100 patients will be enrolled.

The clinical trial is part of a larger study conducted at the San Diego CyberKnife? Center.

CyberKnife? delivers targeted doses of radiation to often inoperable tumors with sub-millimeter accuracy. This clinical trial will help determine the effectiveness of CyberKnife? radiosurgery treatments for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Using image-guided radiosurgery, CyberKnife? can accurately target and deliver maximum radiation doses needed to attack the cancer and not damage healthy tissue. By limiting irradiation to normal tissue, the CyberKnife? is able to deliver a potentially more effective dose. CyberKnife? treatments are delivered without pain or anesthesia.

“Currrently, prostate cancer patients receive up to 45 daily treatments of radiation within a two-month period,” said Dr. Mark Reilly, radiation oncologist and co-director of the CyberKnife? program at Sletten Cancer Institute. “Earlier reports have shown that CyberKnife? may be as effective with as few as four treatments in a one week period. A compressed treatment scheduled would be welcomed by many Montanans who have to drive long distances to get cancer treatments.”

Patients who meet the following criteria are eligible and are encouraged to contact the Sletten Cancer Institute for more information:

Told by their physician that they have prostate cancer.
Have had a biopsy, and the pathology report states a Gleason scale that is less than or equal to 7.
Have PSA level of 20 or lower.
Have satisfactory kidney function.
Have not previously received radiation treatments to the pelvic area.
Have not been diagnosed with any other type of cancer in the last year.
Have not been given any hormone treatments within the last three months.
Have not had a prostate surgical procedure, such as Transurethal Resection of the Prostate (TURP).


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