A shorter, more intense course of radiation therapy can safely treat prostate cancer, a new study says.
Men given two larger doses of radiation had about the same side effects as others treated with the standard five-dose course, researchers reported Sunday at a meeting of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) in Stockholm.
The small pilot clinical trial opens the door to safe and effective radiation therapy delivered in a couple of office visits, researchers said.
“For patients, a two-session treatment course would be far less disruptive than the weeks of daily hospital visits that radiotherapy has traditionally required,” said lead researcher Dr. Sian Cooper, a clinical research fellow at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and The Institute of Cancer Research in London. “This convenience comes with clear benefits for work, leisure, family life, and travel.”
For the small-scale clinical trial, researchers recruited 46 prostate cancer patients who’d been on hormone therapy for at least six months.
Doctors gave 24 patients the standard five doses over two weeks, while 22 patients received the same radiation dose compressed into two sessions over eight days.
The radiation was delivered using MRI scanning to help doctors precisely target the prostate while protecting surrounding healthy tissue, researchers said.
Men in both groups had about the same rates of urinary and gastrointestinal side effects from their radiation treatment up to two years later, the study found.
Further, more men developed erectile dysfunction from the five-dose treatment course compared to the two-dose course – about 64 percent versus roughly 40 percent at one year, and nearly 74 percent versus about 46 percent at two years.
“After two years, our patients reported minimal change in their quality of life,” Cooper said in a news release. “There was no difference or minimal difference in the side effects experienced by the patients in the two-dose group compared to the standard five-dose group.”
Radiation therapy can minimize the risk of damage to the bladder and erectile dysfunction compared to surgery for prostate cancer, said Matthias Guckenberger, president of ESTRO and director of radiation oncology at the University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland.
“Limiting treatment to two doses is more convenient for patients, who would need fewer hospital visits, making it easier for those who live far from radiotherapy centers to complete their treatment,” Guckenberger said in a news release.
However, not many hospitals are equipped with radiation therapy devices that use MRI to precisely target treatment, he said.
“While the technology used in this trial is currently available in only a limited number of specialist centers worldwide, they are growing rapidly,” Guckenberger said. “These results can help guide how they are used and help us understand whether two-session radiotherapy should become a new standard of care.”
More studies are needed to see if a shorter, more intense course of radiation therapy would be as effective against prostate cancer.
Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
RELATED: Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials: What Black Men Need to Know
Black men have the highest incidence and mortality rate of prostate cancer in the United States, and are more likely to be diagnosed younger and with aggressive disease. Accessing care and getting follow-up care can be more difficult for some Black men because of work schedules, caregiving responsibilities, transportation, and financial strain. A shorter treatment schedule could help reduce those barriers.
Short-course radiation therapy is a new approach that delivers higher doses of radiation over fewer treatment sessions. Traditional radiation therapy for prostate cancer can require daily treatments for several weeks, while short-course therapy may shorten that timeline significantly.
Healthcare providers may also refer to this as “hypofractioned” radiation therapy. The goal is to treat the cancer effectively while reducing the number of trips patients need to make to a cancer clinic. For many patients, fewer appointments can mean less disruption to work, family responsibilities, transportation, and daily life.
Researchers in the new study found that the shorter treatment approach appeared to be safe for many prostate cancer patients, with side effects similar to standard treatment schedules.
RELATED: Why We Need Black Men for Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials
While the findings are promising, this study doesn’t mean short-course radiation therapy is the right choice for everyone with prostate cancer. Treatment decisions still depend on several factors, including cancer stage, overall health, age, and personal preferences.
The study suggests that shorter radiation schedules can be both safe and effective for many patients, but providers will continue to study long-term outcomes and side effects. Patients should also know that different hospitals and cancer centers may offer treatment options.
For Black men, who face disproportionately higher incidence and death rates of prostate cancer, advances that reduce treatment burden could help improve access and make it easier for some patients to complete care. Still, experts say it’s important to talk with a provider about the best treatment plan for your individual situation.
More information
The American Cancer Society has more on radiation therapy for prostate cancer.
SOURCE: European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology, news release, May 17, 2026
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