Dr. Mason on the Significant Results from the PROTECT Study in Prostate Cancer

Malcom Mason, MD, Cancer Research Wales Professor of Clinical Oncology at Cardiff University, discusses the significant results of the PROTECT study for patients with prostate cancer.

The purpose of the PROTECT study was to directly test 3 major modalities of treatment for localized prostate cancer, which included external beam radiotherapy, radical prostatectomy, or active monitoring in healthy patients who underwent prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening. Patients were counseled on the uncertainties of treating early prostate cancer and were informed about the PROTECT trial prior to their diagnosis.

Patients could consider the trial and these uncertainties without having their cancer diagnosed. A total 1600 patients were identified and randomized 3 ways between surgery, radiotherapy, or active monitoring, which was a unique achievement in the field of prostate cancer.

After a median follow-up of 10 years, the prostate-specific mortality, which was the primary endpoint of the study was only 1%. According to Mason, this was unexpectedly low. The overall mortality of these patients was 10% and there was a difference in the clinical disease progression.