Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy vs Moderately Hypofractionated IMRT for Localized Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer Research Summary

A randomized comparison tested whether stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), delivered in roughly five high-dose sessions, is superior to moderately hypofractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy (MH-IMRT) in men with localized intermediate-risk prostate cancer. The co-primary endpoints were patient-reported urinary and bowel quality of life and disease-free survival, the two dimensions that matter most when choosing between shorter and longer radiation schedules. Because both regimens are already in clinical use, the trial addresses a practical question: whether the convenience of a one-week course comes at any cost in toxicity or cancer control. The answer directly informs treatment scheduling for one of the most commonly irradiated tumours worldwide.