It is highly reasonable to assume that if the study had been conducted using the technology available today, the radiation-treated patients would have experienced even fewer side effects.

It’s high time to start focusing on the quality of life for prostate cancer patients after treatment. Both radiation and surgery are effective in curing early-stage prostate cancer. But the differences in terms of side effects are significant and must be taken seriously. That is why this study is so essential. The results are highly relevant for healthcare providers and patient organizations, and it’s important that this knowledge also reaches patients.

With the publication of this comparative study, we now have evidence that SBRT treatment provides results equal to conventional treatment. It's likely that SBRT will, in the foreseeable future, not only become approved but also recommended as standard treatment for localized prostate cancer in several countries, including Switzerland, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

A higher radiation dose delivered with great accuracy gives patients effective treatment with very little risk of side effects. This significantly impacts patients' quality of life after treatment. Additionally, treatment becomes more convenient, completed in just five days instead of potentially seven weeks or more. For healthcare providers, the reduced number of treatments represents significant efficiency gains and an opportunity to shorten the long waiting lists in cancer care that in many places still persist since the pandemic.