High Survival Rates With Seed Implants in Early Prostate Ca

• FAIRFAX, Virginia—More than 90% of prostate cancer patients who receive appropriate radiation dose levels with permanent radiation seed implants are cured 8 years after diagnosis, according to a study in the February 1, 2007, issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics (67:327-333, 2007). The study evaluated results in nearly 2,700 men with early-stage prostate cancer treated at 11 US institutions. Ultrasound-guided techniques were used to place the seeds. Patients received the seed implants as the sole treatment for prostate cancer.

"This study is exciting because it shows that brachytherapy alone can be effective at curing early-stage prostate cancer," said Michael J. Zelefsky, MD, lead author and chief of brachytherapy services at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. "These results also confirm other findings that the quality of the seed implant is a critical ingredient for achieving a better outcome."