Carol Burns
September 13, 2018
Colonels hire Clark as student assistant
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Before the more effective SpaceOAR was invented, a balloon would have to be inserted before each treatment that a prostate cancer patient receives, which is typically once a day for five to nine weeks, or they would require large radiation targets and treatment fields to encompass potential prostate motion. This innovative hydrogel makes this aspect of their treatment safer and less invasive compared to the balloon. The temporary gel, SpaceOAR, is only administered once and is more efficient at immobilizing the prostate.
“We are also concerned about movement of the prostate because when the rectum is full or the bladder is full, the prostate can move within the body, and the SpaceOAR actually helps immobilize it,” Dr. Bourgeois said. This stabilization of the prostate also helps radiation oncologists with the targeting of the cancer and applying of treatments.
“When I do the SpaceOAR, I also insert three gold seeds into the prostate. Every day, when they come for treatment, I get a CT scan that helps me align that with the target, so that we’re more conformal and accurate on the prostate,” Dr. Bourgeois said.
Dr. Bourgeois and the rest of the team at the Cancer Center have recently been sharing their expertise on SpaceOAR and prostate cancer by doing various public service announcements and health screenings. Last week, they did a free prostate cancer screening where they blood tested over 100 men in one day. Dr. Bourgeois highlighted the importance of early detection and suggested one should consult with their doctor about screening by the age of 50-55.
“If caught early, typically by screening…treatments like surgery and radiation are very, very effective, upwards of +95% cure rate, depending on stage and disease details,” he said. “That’s why screening can be pretty important.”
For more information on prostate cancer and SpaceOAR technology, visit the official Mary Bird Perkins TGMC website at marybird.org/location/mbptgmc/.
