A major new all-island radiotherapy trial, INSPIRE, will launch this Spring. Sponsored by Cancer Trials Ireland, and supported by the Irish Research Radiation Oncology Group, the study aims to reduce treatment side-effects while maintaining excellent cancer control for men with prostate cancer.

The INSPIRE trial is for men with localised prostate cancer who are suitable for treatment with Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR). This advanced form of radiotherapy represents an important step forward in prostate cancer treatment and has been shown to be an excellent treatment option in the highest quality trials. This highly precise form of radiotherapy is delivered in just five sessions over two weeks, rather than the standard 20 sessions.

This shorter treatment course offers comparable cancer control in a significantly shorter timeframe. As this approach becomes more widely used, there is an increasing opportunity to focus not only on cancer control, but also on reducing side-effects and improving patients’ quality of life.

The main aim of INSPIRE is to reduce urinary side-effects, while also examining bowel and sexual side-effects. It will use advanced scanning and highly targeted radiotherapy to better protect nearby healthy tissue, while keeping treatment to just five sessions. The trial will also use a gel spacer to move the rectum away from the treatment area, helping to reduce bowel-related side-effects.

Prof. Brian O’Neill, Radiation Oncologist at St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network in Beaumont Hospital and Co-Chief Investigator on the trial, said; “Prostate Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy is an exciting new development but it can mean a higher risk of bladder side-effects. The INSPIRE trial is aimed at reducing these side-effects while maintaining excellent cancer results. In addition, we hope to reduce bowel and sexual side-effects.”