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SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel
Minimize potential side effects of prostate cancer radiation therapy
When treating prostate cancer patients with radiation therapy, the goal is to kill the cancer cells while avoiding damage to surrounding healthy tissue. SpaceOAR Hydrogel is a gel spacer that temporarily moves the rectal wall farther away from the prostate lessening damage to the rectum.
SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men, with more than 183,000 new cases diagnosed each year1. More than 60,000 American men opt to treat their prostate cancer with radiation every year, while some may choose to have their prostate surgically removed or “watch and wait.”2
Because of the proximity of the rectum to the prostate, prostate radiation therapy can cause unintended damage to the rectum, which can lead to fecal incontinence issues or other long-lasting side effects. These side effects can be a barrier for men who might otherwise seek radiation, but there are options available to help reduce some of these risks.
Features Dr. Adam Weiser, urologist at Central Ohio Urology Group
Dr. Weiser discusses the amazing benefits of SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel in the treatment of prostate cancer. The segment appeared on Fox28 Marketplace Health News, July 24, 2020.
What is SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel?
SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel is an absorbable gel that creates a temporary space between the prostate and the rectum, designed to reduce radiation dose to the rectum. It is inserted via a minimally invasive procedure and is naturally absorbed by the body in about six months.3
SpaceOAR Hydrogel has been evaluated in clinical studies and has been shown to be safe and effective in reducing potential side effects of radiation therapy to the rectal area. In a randomized clinical study, men who underwent radiation therapy without SpaceOAR Hydrogel were eight times more likely to experience a decline in bowel, urinary and sexual function when compared to men who underwent radiation therapy with SpaceOAR Hydrogel, at a median follow-up of 3 years.4,5
Why is SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel important?
When treating prostate cancer patients with radiation therapy, the goal is to kill the cancer cells while avoiding damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The prostate is next to the rectum and naturally separated by a small space.
Due to the proximity, prostate radiation therapy can unintentionally cause damage to the rectum, which can lead to issues with bowel function. SpaceOAR Hydrogel is a gel spacer that temporarily moves the rectal wall farther away from the prostate. By separating the prostate from the rectum, the radiation dose delivered to the rectum is reduced, which may lessen damage to the rectum.
- Leading Cancer Cases and Deaths, Male, 2015. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gis.cdc.gov/Cancer/USCS/DataViz.html. Accessed February 25, 2019.
- Treatment for Prostate Cancer: External-Beam Radiation Therapy. Prostate Cancer Foundation. https://www.pcf.org/c/treatment-for-prostate-cancer-external-beam-radiation- therapy/. Accessed February 13, 2019.
- Mariados N, Sylvester J, Shah D, et Hydrogel spacer prospective multicenter randomized controlled pivotal trial: Dosimetric and clinical effects of perire ctal spacer application in men undergoing prostate image guided intensity modulated radiation therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2015 Aug 1;92(5):971-7.
- Hamstra DA, Mariados N, Sylvester J, et al. Continued benefit to rectal separation for prostate radiation therapy: Final results of a phase III trial. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2017 Apr 1;97(5):976-85.
- Hamstra D, Shah D, Kurtzman S, et al. Evaluation of sexual function on a randomized trial of a prostate rectal spacer. J Clin Oncol. 2017 February 20;35(Suppl 6):69.