ERECTILE Function Preservation for Prostate Cancer Radiation Therapy

Dr. Jochem van der Voort van Zyp, MD, PhD, a radiation oncologist at UMC Utrecht, The Netherlands, explains the ERECT trial, a phase two study that aims to reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction for prostate cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.

Main challenge:

• Balancing high survival rates with minimizing long-term side effects, such as erectile dysfunction
• Damage to critical structures that affect erectile function

How can MR-guided radiotherapy reduce toxicity?

• Enhanced treatment precision by providing superior visibility and contrast
• Sparing important structures such as neurovascular bundles, the internal pudendal artery, and small arteries, which are crucial for erectile function

ERECT trial:

The ERECT trial treats intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients with a regimen of 5 fractions of 7.35 Gy twice a week, totaling 2.5 weeks of treatment. This approach aims to offer better outcomes with reduced toxicity by increasing treatment precision.

Benefits of MR-guided radiotherapy for patients:

• Shorter treatment times (2 fractions scheme)
• Spare critical structures for erections
• Favorable outcomes with fewer long-term complications

Find out more:
Elekta Unity | MR-Linac - MR/RT | Radiotherapy | Elekta
MR-guided RT for prostate cancer | MR-Linac - MR/RT | Radiotherapy | Elekta