Innovation Adds More Comfort to Prostate Cancer Care

When Joe Erickson sat down with the radiation oncology team at EvergreenHealth, he knew their transparent approach to treatment options was just what he needed to start his battle against prostate cancer.

What he didn’t know was that he would be a prime candidate for a procedure that has been hailed as the last decade’s most significant advancement in prostate cancer care.

The new treatment is being pioneered by Dr. R. Alex Hsi, a radiation oncologist specializing in brachytherapy at EvergreenHealth’s

Halvorson Cancer Center.

“Though it’s common for many men with prostate cancer to experience excellent outcomes and survival rates, radiation treatment can be damaging to neighboring organs, and that can have a significant impact on patients’ quality of life,” Dr. Hsi explained. “What we’ve discovered with this new intervention is that we can improve patients’ comfort and reduce radiation exposure to normal tissues by 75 percent.”

Joe Erickson

By injecting a gel-like substance between the prostate and the rectum, the treatment serves as a protective barrier throughout the course of radiation treatments. The gel, called SpaceOAR, was approved by the FDA in April of this year following extensive clinical trials led by Dr. Hsi and a team of researchers.

The ultrasound-guided injections use liquids that form a solid gel once in place. Acting as a temporary buffer, the new technology separates the prostate and the rectum for up to six months before it naturally dissolves and safely reabsorbs into the patient’s body.

Erickson, the first patient at EvergreenHealth to receive the treatment, said he is optimistic about his prognosis. “There have been a lot of decisions to make about my treatment so far, and there will be more, so I feel lucky to have such a great team on my side.”

Dr. R. Alex Hsi, EvergreenHealth Radiation Oncologist

WHAT IS BRACHYTHERAPY? As a specialist in brachytherapy, Dr. Hsi, in collaboration with his urology colleagues, places radioactive seeds in or near tumors in the prostate, which work alone or in combination with external beam radiation delivered by EvergreenHealth’s state-of-the-art linear accelerator.