QUICK STUDY : A weekly digest of new research on major health topics

· LEARN MORE ABOUT infertility at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health; learn about polycystic ovary syndrome at http://www.mayoclinic.com.

PROSTATE CANCER

Radioactive seeds appear to stem relapses.

· THE QUESTION When radiation is used to kill prostate cancer cells, it can be beamed from a machine outside the body or delivered via radioactive pellets, or seeds, implanted near the prostate gland. If the seed method, called brachytherapy, is chosen, what are the long-term prospects?

· THIS STUDY analyzed data on 2,693 men with early prostate cancer who opted for brachy-therapy. The amount of radiation distributed by the seeds varied. None of the men received any external radiation. Eight years later, 93 percent of those who had received radiation doses of at least 130 Gy (or gray, the dosage measurement for radiation) had not had a recurrence of the cancer; of those who'd received lower doses, 76 percent of them had not had a recurrence.

· WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? Men with prostate cancer that has not spread beyond the gland. At this stage, the cancer can be treated with radiation or surgery, or men may opt to delay treatment until symptoms appear or change.

· CAVEATS The study did not evaluate side effects, which can include impotence and urinary problems, nor compare brachytherapy to other treatments. Results may vary with different doses of radiation.

· FIND THIS STUDY Feb. 1 issue of the International Journal for Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics; abstract available online at http://www.redjournal.org.

· LEARN MORE ABOUT prostate cancer at http://www.cancer.gov and http://www.familydoctor.org.

-- Linda Searing

The research described in Quick Study comes from credible, peer-reviewed journals. Nonetheless, conclusive evidence about a treatment's effectiveness is rarely found in a single study. Anyone considering changing or beginning treatment of any kind should consult with a physician.