"A fiveyear study shows that Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy SBRT to treat prostate cancer offers a higher cure rate than more traditional approaches according to researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center.  The study  the first trial to publish fiveyear results from SBRT treatment for prostate cancer  found a . percent cure rate with SBRT a noninvasive form of radiation treatment that involves highdose radiation beams entering the body through various angles and intersecting at the desired target. It is a stateoftheart technology that allows for a concentrated dose to reach the tumor while limiting the radiation dose to surrounding healthy tissue.  The high cure rate is striking when compared to the reported fiveyear cure rates from other approaches like surgery or conventional radiation which range between  to  percent while the side effects of this treatment are comparable to other types of treatment said Dr. Raquibul Hannan Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology and lead author for the study. What we now have is a more potent and effective form of completely noninvasive treatment for prostate cancer conveniently completed in five treatments.  Conventional treatment options for early stage prostate cancer include   Prostatectomy the surgical removal of the prostate gland which can be done with minimally invasive techniques and robotic assistance   Brachytherapy in which doctors implant numerous small radioactive seeds about the size of a grain of rice into the prostate gland using multiple large needles inserted through the skin in the operating room. Once implanted the seeds release their radioactivity directly into the prostate gland and   External beam radiation which involves  to  treatments administered over two or more months five days a week.  The current form of radiation is  treatments given over nine weeks. In contrast the SBRT therapy we used allows the delivery of highly focused radiation in only five treatments allowing patients to return to their normal lives more quickly said senior author Dr. Robert Timmerman Director of the Annette Simmons Stereotactic Treatment Center at UT Southwestern and Professor and Vice Chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology. SBRT is both more convenient and has increased potency.  UT Southwestern served as the lead site for the multiinstitutional clinical trial which involved firsttime prostate cancer patients diagnosed with stage I or stage II low and intermediate risk prostate cancer. A total of  patients were treated prospectively and followed for five years with only one patient experiencing a recurrence of his cancer. The findings are published in the European Journal of Cancer.  Terry Martin of McKinney Texas  about an hour outside Dallas  said the fewer number of treatments was a compelling advantage when he was evaluating treatment options.  I live  minutes away from UT Southwestern. The difference between being treated five times versus  times is enormous said Mr. Martin a retired airline pilot. I felt that I was back to normal just  days after finishing treatment.  In addition to shorter treatment times researchers found that side effects were not necessarily different compared to other forms of prostate cancer treatment. In the short term the side effects of SBRT can include urinary issues urgency frequency and burning and rectal irritation which are often temporary and reverse within four weeks of treatment. Researchers found a small risk of longerterm urinary and rectal complications which is also comparable to conventional treatments. Decrease in erectile function was seen in  percent of patients fewer than with conventional radiation or surgery said Dr. Hannan.  To reduce the side effects associated with SBRT current clinical trials at UTSW are using a unique and biodegradable rectal spacer gel to protect the rectum. UTSW is currently the only accredited site in Texas at which this spacer gel can be used.  Other clinical trials at the UTSW Department of Radiation Oncology are seeking to expand the application of SBRT to highrisk Stage III prostate cancer patients. Our hope is that the high potency of this form of treatment will significantly improve treatment of these patients says Dr. Hannan the principal investigator of the highrisk prostate SBRT trial.  UT Southwestern has been a leader in pioneering use of SBRT. Dr. Timmerman Director of ImageGuided Stereotactic Radiation Therapy Medical Director of Radiation Oncology and holder of the Effie Marie Cain Distinguished Chair in Cancer Therapy Research has served as the lead investigator in several national trials designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SBRT to treat other types of cancer including cancer in the lung liver and spine. A range of clinical trials of SBRT therapy are under way at Simmons Cancer Center including new investigations evaluating use of SBRT for cancers in the breast and larynx.  Since  UT Southwestern has trained more than  physicians and peers interested in implementing SBRT in their clinical practice. Simmons Cancer Centers arsenal of stereotactic radiotherapy technology includes the cuttingedge Gamma Knife CyberKnife Agility Vero SBRT and TrueBeam technologies.  The SBRT study for prostate cancer was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense. Additional UTSW researchers involved in the study include Dr. Yair Lotan Professor of Urology and holder of the Helen J. and Robert S. Strauss Professorship in Urology and Dr. XianJin Xie Professor of Clinical Science.  The Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only NCIdesignated Comprehensive Cancer Center in North Texas and one of just  NCIdesignated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation. The Simmons Cancer Center includes  major cancer care programs with a focus on treating the whole patient with innovative treatments while fostering groundbreaking basic research that has the potential to improve patient care and prevention of cancer worldwide. In addition the Centers education and training programs support and develop the next generation of cancer researchers and clinicians.  The Simmons Cancer Center is among only  U.S. cancer research centers and the only cancer center in North Texas to be named a National Clinical Trials Network Lead Academic Participating Site a prestigious designation by the NCI designed to bolster clinical cancer research for adults and to provide patients access to cancer research trials sponsored by the NCI where promising new drugs often are tested.  About UT Southwestern Medical Center  UT Southwestern one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institutions faculty has included six who have been awarded Nobel Prizes since . The faculty of almost  is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating sciencedriven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide medical care in about  specialties to more than  hospitalized patients and oversee approximately . million outpatient visits a year.  This news release is available on our home page at http  To automatically receive news releases from UT Southwestern via email subscribe at http"