Mercy adds new way to treat prostate cancer

SpaceOAR hydrogel is the latest in therapy that adds a protective layer that acts as a barrier for radiation damage.

The Mercy Health Cancer Center has announced the addition of an innovative system for men who are undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.

SpaceOAR hydrogel is the latest in prostate cancer therapy that adds a protective layer that acts as a barrier for radiation damage to areas surrounding the prostate, according to a news release.

For those men choosing to undergo radiation therapy for prostate cancer, the addition of SpaceOAR hydrogel, will reduce the risk of side effects both during and after radiation treatment, the release stated.

Elyria-based Mercy Health Cancer Center, in affiliation with the University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center system, provides patients with access to experts in cancer care, more than 300 clinical trials and innovative approaches to treatment.

“Our goal is to provide the best possible treatment to patients, which is why we are one of the first centers offering SpaceOAR hydrogel,” said Dr. Roger Ove, the Radiation Oncology Medical Director at the Mercy Health Cancer Center. “Even with advanced technology for prostate cancer radiation delivery, the rectum receives unnecessary radiation dose. Creating space between the prostate and rectum is an important advancement that significantly protects the rectum during radiation treatments and reduces the likelihood of side effects.”

In a prospective, randomized, multi-center clinical trial in the United States, patients treated with SpaceOAR hydrogel prior to prostate cancer radiation treatment demonstrated bowel, urinary, and sexual benefits through three years of follow-up, the release stated. Those patients who received SpaceOAR were 8 times more likely to develop significant declines in sexual quality and urinary flow.

This minimally invasive outpatient procedure is done using local or general anesthesia with patients being able to immediately resume their normal activities, the release stated. The gel stays in place for

approximately three months and is then naturally absorbed and cleared in the urine in about six months.

UH participated in the initial clinical trial and were the first in the nation to use SpaceOAR following FDA approval, the release stated.