Sutter Roseville Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary of Prostate Seed Program
Area's most robust program has helped nearly 400 patients with prostate cancer - the most common cancer in men

Roseville - When the prostate seed program launched at Sutter Roseville Medical Center in April 1999, the goal was to provide prostate cancer patients who met the criteria with an alternative to radical prostatectomy or external beam radiation therapy - two of the more traditional treatment methods at the time. Fast forward 10 years later and the program has developed into one of the most robust programs in the area.

"We are quite proud of how this program has grown to complement the other prostate cancer services offered at Sutter Roseville," said Seth Rosenthal, M.D., FACR, radiation oncologist who co-directs the prostate seed program with urologist Abdo Faddoul, M.D. "This is just another example of how we are able to provide our patients with several different treatment options."

The prostate seed program, which Dr. Rosenthal credits as a successful collaboration between urologists and radiation oncologists, has flourished. Typical results for patients treated with prostate seed implantation include: Five-year disease-free survival rate: More than 90 percent, Five-year disease-specific survival rate: More than 95 percent, Five-year local recurrence rate: Less than 5 percent, Potency preservation rates at 12 months: 80 percent.

Prostate seed implantation is a surgical procedure performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia where approximately 100 tiny radioactive "seeds" are implanted through 20 to 30 long, slender needles in the prostate. At the end of the procedure, the needles are removed, and the seeds remain in the prostate. The implanted seeds release radiation in the prostate, directly adjacent to the cancerous cells. The patient is usually discharged later that same day with instructions to meet with his urologist in the next few days for a follow-up appointment. Patients are also typically able to return to normal activity within four to 14 days.

While radical prostatectomy (the surgical removal of the prostate) and external beam radiation therapy (where radiation beams are focused on the prostate from outside the body) are also effective in treating prostate cancer, those treatments can also have disadvantages for the patient and can be associated with inconvenience (approximately eight weeks of daily treatments may be involved with external beam radiation therapy) and overnight hospitalization (with radical prostatectomy). Decisions about which prostate cancer treatment to select requires personalized consultation for the patient with the urologist and radiation oncologist, but prostate seed implantation is a viable option for many patients.

Prostate seed implantation, also known as brachytherapy: Offers comparable survival rates to radical prostatectomy, Decreases likelihood of incontinence, Offers shorter acute recovery time, Preserves sexual function for many men, Offers a low incidence of severe side effects.

The prostate seed program at Sutter Roseville Medical Center has treated nearly 400 patients, with about a third from Placer County, a third from Sacramento County and the remaining third from surrounding counties and areas out of state.

The prostate seed program at Sutter Roseville offers another dimension as well: it is contributing to national clinical research protocols. The program is credentialed by National Cancer Institute-sponsored national research organizations, the Radiological Physics Center and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, for I-125 prostate brachytherapy. In fact, 20 patients have been put on prostate brachytherapy trials through the program at Sutter Roseville. While that may not seem a remarkable, it is about 5 percent of the program's total cases - double the national requirement.

"This really shows our commitment to state-of-the-art care in a community setting here at Sutter Roseville. Our work is also under external quality assurance and review," said Dr. Rosenthal, who is also the chair of the committee revising the current American College of Radiology Prostate Brachytherapy Practice Guideline.

Prostate cancer treatment is a team effort that involves not only the radiation oncologists and urologists, but a team of radiation oncology staff, operating room staff, nurses, social workers and other clinicians. Thanks to the experienced clinicians, research components and support groups, Sutter Roseville Medical Center provides comprehensive prostate services to men in the community and beyond.

Sutter Roseville Medical Center is commemorating the 10-year milestone with the purchase of new equipment for the prostate seed program. There will be state-of-the-art ultrasound technology that will enhance visualization of the prostate. During the procedure, the urologists and radiation oncologists consult the ultrasound images to map the prostate and determine where to implant the radioactive seeds, in conjunction with computerized treatment planning. The new equipment will provide better images for the physicians, improve the accuracy of the treatment plan and should shorten the time the patient is in the operating room. As Dr. Rosenthal says, the new equipment will help ensure that "our program will have the technology so that our track record of excellence and service to our community can be continued."

A special recognition ceremony will be held soon where employees and philanthropic donors will be invited to view the equipment firsthand. Employees significantly contributed to the program as part of the Sutter Roseville Medical Center Foundation's employee giving campaign.

Sutter Roseville Medical Center is affiliated with Sutter Health, a not-for-profit, community based health system located throughout Northern California. For more information on Sutter Roseville Medical Center, visit www.sutterroseville.org.

Sutter Cancer Center, Roseville does more than treat a disease. We care for people living with cancer and strive to meet their physical, mental and emotional needs. Through comprehensive programs and services, we support our patients and those who care for them. For more information, visit www.suttercancer.org.