For release - July 23, 1998

Vancouver - An innovative treatment for men with prostate cancer was launched in Vancouver this week. The BC Cancer Agency is the only facility west of Toronto to offer brachytherapy to men with prostate cancer that has not spread beyond the prostate. It is considered an alternative to the more common approaches - surgery to remove the prostate gland or external beam radiation therapy.

Brachytherapy is a radiotherapy treatment that involves placing radioactive sources - called "seeds" - inside or adjacent to a cancer tumour. It is widely used to treat various types of cancer and, for certain cancers, it has been in use longer than some of the more commonly used radiotherapies, such as external beam radiation therapy. It is performed in an operating room as an outpatient procedure.

"Brachytherapy for prostate cancer has been in use in the United States since 1984 and has recently gained wide acceptance," says Dr. James Morris, BCCA radiation treatment specialist leading this new program. "This therapy has become widely known among men with this cancer. Brachytherapy for prostate cancer appears to be a safe and effective alternative to radical surgery and conventional radiotherapy, for certain patients whose cancer is still within the prostate."

Four British Columbia men had prostate brachytherapy this week. Visiting radiation treatment specialist Dr. John Blasko, of the University of Washington Medical Centre, advised the BCCA team as it went through its first procedures. Dr. Blasko has used prostate brachytherapy in treating men with prostate cancer for several years in Seattle and is considered to be a world expert on this procedure.

BCCA physicians in Vancouver are working with urologists in a joint assessment clinic to determine which men are eligible for this procedure. Referrals to the program must be made by a physician.

"We believe this could be an option for a sub-group men with low risk prostate cancer," says Dr. Larry Goldenberg, Chair of the BCCA Genito-Urinary Tumour Group. "This treatment is not for everyone. Effective management of prostate cancer requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving many specialties and treatment options. More clinical research is essential to determine the optimal role of each treatment option in prostate cancer."

"As Minister of Health, I'm pleased to be part of this partnership with the BC Cancer Agency by providing funding for brachytherapy," says Health Minister Penny Priddy. "We are aggressively taking on cancer with prevention, treatment and research and anticipate positive outcomes from this promising form of therapy." The BC Ministry of Health contributed $500,000 to the BC Cancer Agency for the first year of this program.

The BCCA program will begin in its Vancouver Cancer Centre. It may expand to its three other centres (Surrey, Kelowna and Victoria) over the next few years, depending on demand for the treatment.

The BC Cancer Agency manages a comprehensive cancer care program for the province with regional cancer centres in Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, the Southern Interior and on Vancouver Island. It also operates provincial programs such as Communities Oncology, Cervical Cytology and the Screening Mammography Program. The BC Cancer Agency is a leader in prostate cancer research and, together with Vancouver General Hospital and the University of British Columbia, is home to one of the largest prostate research groups in Canada.