For years surgery and radiation therapy have been the most common treatments for those diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer, but for many patients they don't work.read. Now an innovative therapy could give men new hope.
"This is big stuff. This is very big," Mark K. Buyyounouski, MD, MS, at Fox Chase Cancer Center said. Dr. Buyyounouski says traditional therapies don't address the risk of the cancer spreading throughout the body.
"We know like weeds in a garden if there are one or two cells that have escaped, they could come back years from now," Dr. Buyyounouski said.
That's where ProstAtak comes in. The vaccine therapy is injected into the prostate, where it infects cancer cells, and together with radiation, stimulates the patient's own immune system to rid the body of cancer.
"It's an entirely different way to treat prostate cancer," Dr. Buyyounouski explained.
He says preliminary study results show ProstAtak is safe and effective in killing prostate cancer, dropping tumor recurrence from 30 percent to less than 10 percent.
ProstAtak is designed for men in the early stages of prostate cancer. It's ideal for patients with intermediate or high risk prostate cancer who are considering radiation therapy. Trials are going on right now. For more information about how to participate, call 215-728-5312.
"This is big stuff. This is very big," Mark K. Buyyounouski, MD, MS, at Fox Chase Cancer Center said. Dr. Buyyounouski says traditional therapies don't address the risk of the cancer spreading throughout the body.
"We know like weeds in a garden if there are one or two cells that have escaped, they could come back years from now," Dr. Buyyounouski said.
That's where ProstAtak comes in. The vaccine therapy is injected into the prostate, where it infects cancer cells, and together with radiation, stimulates the patient's own immune system to rid the body of cancer.
"It's an entirely different way to treat prostate cancer," Dr. Buyyounouski explained.
He says preliminary study results show ProstAtak is safe and effective in killing prostate cancer, dropping tumor recurrence from 30 percent to less than 10 percent.
ProstAtak is designed for men in the early stages of prostate cancer. It's ideal for patients with intermediate or high risk prostate cancer who are considering radiation therapy. Trials are going on right now. For more information about how to participate, call 215-728-5312.
Charlotte Ames is the area's only local Health Reporter and brings you the latest medical health news weeknights. You can catch Healthcast on WTAJ News at 5:00pm and her Health Headlines report on WTAJ News at 5:30pm.