Dear Radiation Oncology Insider,
When not debating healthcare reform, some members of U.S. Congress have recently delved into the esoteric realm (for politicians, at least) of prostate brachytherapy. The reason is the ongoing controversy over prostate brachytherapy treatments performed at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center in Philadelphia.
Your Radiation Oncology Digital Community has been following the issue closely, including this week's news that a high-level congressional representative is making good on a promise to closely monitor the VA's efforts to investigate allegations of shoddy work within the brachytherapy program.
With all eyes on prostate brachytherapy, it seems timely to also highlight a new study from Japan that examined the genitourinary toxicity to prostate cancer patients who received both brachytherapy and hypofractionated external-beam radiation therapy treatment. The researchers found a direct relationship between radiation dose to the urethra and postprocedure toxicity -- learn more in this edition's Insider Exclusive.
In related news, another recent study found that some men with low-grade prostate cancer may not even need treatment. Read all about it in an article that summarizes the findings of two different studies, one from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City and the other from Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands.
On the reimbursement front, we're covering the radiation oncology community's effort to head off reimbursement cuts proposed by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Radiation oncology advocates believe the cuts would have a devastating impact on their ability to offer radiation therapy services, particularly in rural areas.
What can you do about it? Get proactive. Express your opinion. The deadline for comments is August 31, and the article provides a direct link to CMS for you to do so.
