In recent years, prostate cancer has become the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, with a five-year survival rate of 97%. However, Dr. Christien Kluwe, a radiation oncologist at Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, believes that it’s time to revolutionize the way men with prostate cancer are approached due to improving technologies and longer life expectancies.
Kluwe is particularly concerned about androgen deprivation therapy like testosterone blockers. While this treatment can be effective in controlling the growth of prostate cancer cells, he questions whether every patient needs it. Kluwe believes that treatments should be tailored to each individual patient’s needs and not put them through unnecessary treatments that may not provide significant benefits.
In addition to questioning the need for androgen deprivation therapy, Kluwe is also researching new radiation techniques like stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). This precise and powerful treatment delivers high doses of radiation in just five days compared to the traditional eight weeks of treatment. By using tiny pellets the size of grains of rice, SBRT can be directed specifically to the cancerous cells while sparing healthy surrounding tissue.
The collaboration between TPR and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, known as Science & Medicine, aims to showcase how scientific advancements in San Antonio are shaping the future of medicine globally. Through this partnership, researchers hope to identify new treatments and therapies for prostate cancer that can improve outcomes for patients around the world.