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Nancy Ryerson, Staff Writer | September 24, 2013
"We were left with a quandary as to why it is that the higher dose arm fared worse," said study author Dr. Benjamin Movsas of the department of radiation oncology at the Henry Ford Health System. "I think sometimes the answer is right there with our patients. When we looked at that information, it became quite clear that there were very important differences in quality of life, which were not so clear cut."
Another study showed that increasing hormone therapy treatment time for prostate cancer patients did not increase survival rates. The group treated with 28 weeks of hormone therapy compared with eight weeks were also more likely to experience side effects such as hot flashes and erectile dysfunction.
"The precedence in most oncology research is that you have a standard of care, and on top of that, you add something else, like a layer cake," said study leader Dr.Thomas Pisansky, a radiation oncologist at the Mayo Clinic. "When you add a layer, you have a small incremental benefit, whether that's a reduction in metastases, or an improvement in survival. That's been the trajectory in that line of research in prostate cancer. But the lesson to be learned here was that even when there was overwhelming evidence that more was better, you still need to do that scientific test."
Treating the body and the mind
A final study measured the mental state of radiation therapy patients through an over-the-phone psychological examination. Researchers used a simple two-question survey to determine which patients were potentially suffering from depression, asking whether patients had "little interest or pleasure in doing things" or "if they were feeling down, depressed or hopeless."
Those patients could then be directed to mental health services.
"Patients who come in for cancer treatment are often very anxious and want to find out more about what's going on," said study author Dr. William Small, Jr. "It really does help patients get the therapy they need, which may help with long-term outcomes."
He said he hopes his findings can quickly be incorporated into everyday practice.
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