New radiotherapy trial aims to reduce prostate cancer treatment side-effects

A new radiotherapy clinical trial aimed at reducing the side-effects of prostate cancer treatment will recruit 136 patients from across the island of Ireland over the next two years.

The INSPIRE study will link cancer centres across the island, with sites in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Belfast and Derry.

The trial will focus on men with localised prostate cancer who will be treated with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), a radiotherapy treatment which can be given to men in five sessions over one and a half weeks.

Researchers say SABR has been shown in trials to provide cancer outcomes comparable to conventional radiotherapy, but in a shorter timeframe.

However, these studies also showed that urinary side-effects were more common in men treated with SABR.

Clinical researchers across Ireland have now developed a “second-generation” SABR approach, designed to increase the radiation dose to the tumour within the prostate while reducing the dose to nearby healthy tissues.

By combining this radiotherapy technique with a protective gel spacer, which reduces the radiation dose to surrounding organs during treatment, the trial aims to minimise side-effects for men with prostate cancer.

Co-chief investigator, Professor Suneil Jain, clinical professor from the Johnston Centre for Cancer Research at Queen’s University Belfast, said: “More than 5,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year across Ireland, underlining the need to improve treatment while minimising its long-term impact on quality of life.

“The INSPIRE trial represents a major all-island collaboration which will bring world-class prostate radiotherapy to all cancer centres on the island of Ireland.

“Our focus is on reducing treatment-related side effects, particularly urinary complications, but also bowel and sexual side-effects.”

He added: “Our hope is that, in the future, most men with localised prostate cancer will need only five radiotherapy treatments with SABR, improving their chances of cancer control and survival, whilst minimising the risk of life-altering side effects.”

The researchers will also examine whether genetic and biological factors can help predict which patients are more likely to experience side-effects, potentially allowing for more personalised treatment in future.

The study is sponsored by Cancer Trials Ireland, funded by Teleflex and supported by the Irish Research Radiation Oncology Group.