IsoRay Inc. announced that researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPMC) released peer-reviewed study results on Cesium-131 prostate cancer treatment, published in the December issue of Clinical Oncology. The study title is "Five Year Prostate-specific Antigen (PSA) Outcomes after Caesium Prostate Brachytherapy." Standard treatment options for localized prostate cancer include radical prostatectomy, external beam radiotherapy, and prostate brachytherapy. Radical prostatectomy is an invasive procedure with the high risk of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction of all treatments for localized prostate cancer.

External beam radiation has a lower risk of these complications, but requires eight weeks of daily therapy. Prostate brachytherapy is a third treatment option for localized prostate cancer. Prostate brachytherapy has a significantly lower risk of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction when compared to radical prostatectomy, but very similar cure rates.

Prostate brachytherapy is an outpatient procedure with a much faster return to full activity than radical prostatectomy. Men who undergo prostate brachytherapy for treatment of their prostate cancer also avoid the long course of treatment required when one undergoes external beam radiation. A drawback of prostate brachytherapy, however, has been the bothersome urinary and bowel symptoms that can accompany the procedure.

Previous studies have demonstrated that by using the isotope Cesium-131, the duration of these symptoms is dramatically decreased when compared to men who undergo prostate brachytherapy with the other available isotopes. The pioneering brachytherapy therapy is one of the most significant advances in internal radiation therapy in 20 years. Cesium-131 allows for the precise treatment of many different cancers because of its unrivaled blend of high energy and its 9.7 day half-life (its unequaled speed in giving off therapeutic radiation).

In addition to its CMS codes, Cesium-131 is FDA-cleared and holds a CE mark for international sales in seed form for the treatment of brain cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, ocular melanoma cancer, colorectal cancer, gynecologic cancer, head and neck cancer and other cancers throughout the body. The treatment can be deployed using several delivery methods including single seed applicators, implantable strands and seed sutured mesh. IsoRay also sells several new implantable devices, including the GliaSite® radiation therapy system.