Prostate treatment cuts rate by 60%
Australian and New Zealand researchers have identified a treatment which cuts the chances of prostate cancer returning by 60 per cent.
The 10 year Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG) trial on 800 men with inoperable prostate cancer found a period of hormone therapy before radiotherapy could help stop the cancer returning.
The treatment also cut the chances of cancer spreading to other parts of the body by a third.
Chairman of the 96-01 trial management committee Jim Denham said it was great news for men with prostate cancer.
“What we have found in this trial is (that) a relatively short course of hormone treatment and radiotherapy together will not only cut the chances of the cancer returning to the prostate, but stop the cancer from spreading,” Professor Denham said.
“That’s really good because it’s the spread that kills the men.”
…
Prof Denham said prostate cancer affected just as many men as breast cancer affected women.
In Australia, 10,500 men get the cancer each year, and 2,500 die from it.
“We heard the other day that Kylie (Minogue) is just one of 30 women each day who learn they’ve got breast cancer,” Prof Denham said.
“It’s exactly the same with prostate cancer, 30 men every day learn that they have got prostate cancer.
“About four out of 10 of them find themselves in this boat.”
This is terrific news.
Analysing like I know Warren Farrel would I have to make some terrible conclusions.
Just compare the resources put into this trans-Tasman research with the enormous amount put into treating (and simultaneously therefore researching treatment of)breast and cervical cancer. Yeah, a startling contrast right?
Also note how silent for all these years the powers that be have been about this research. Not even Prime Ministers of New Zealand I wrote to alluded to it. Freaky.
Comment by Stephen — Tue 24th May 2005 @ 12:42 pm
Yes, very scary how secret the research has been. Even to the extent my own Dad had this treatment and, as far as I am aware, he was not enlightened that he was part of a research project.
That said, the treatment has been successful and our family’s thanks go out ot these people who are making inroads into this insidious health issue.
Comment by Ethos — Tue 24th May 2005 @ 2:13 pm
That’s wonderful news Ethos.
I’m delighted to hear you and your family will have the benefit of having your Dad around longer.
Comment by Stephen — Fri 27th May 2005 @ 10:35 am
This is fantastic news! I don’t even think there have been any comparable leaps in the treatment of any other type of cancer recently that I have heard of. I agree with you Stephen – we hear so frequently of all the (relatively) minor advances in the treatment of cervical & breast cancer on the news. I would bet that most of the funding came from the aussies, as I would be damned if uncle Helengrad would allow such funding fpr prostate cancer research in NZ.
Comment by Moose — Thu 30th June 2005 @ 10:58 pm