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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Bumping up radiotherapy to 80 Gy may be a game-changer for high-risk prostate cancer. A French randomized trial of 505 men found that 80 Gy (vs. the standard 70 Gy) improved 10-year progression-free survival from 72.2% to 83.6%, with no added toxicity. But experts caution that the overall survival benefit remains uncertain due to small event numbers and possible residual confounding.
Turning up the dial on radiation for prostate cancer
A French randomized trial published in Lancet Oncology suggests that escalating radiotherapy from 70 Gy to 80 Gy — combined with long-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) — meaningfully improves outcomes for men with high-risk, localized prostate cancer. The GETUG AFU 18 trial enrolled 505 patients across 25 centers and followed them for up to 10 years, finding that the higher dose improved progression-free survival without increasing short- or long-term side effects.
The good news: even in the standard-dose group, outcomes were described as "excellent," likely reflecting advances in diagnostics and staging. Experts also noted that the safety profile of 80 Gy supports ongoing trials exploring whether dose escalation could reduce the need for prolonged ADT — a potential quality-of-life win for patients.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: This trial offers the first evidence that 80 Gy radiation may improve multiple survival endpoints in high-risk prostate cancer — but editorialists urge caution on the overall survival data, citing low event counts and possible confounding. Larger, confirmatory studies are needed before practice changes.
