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Radical external beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer in Japan: differences in the patterns of care among Japan, Germany, and the United States

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Abstract

Optimal management of radiotherapy for prostate cancer patients has become a major concern for physicians in Japan. We reviewed published reports identifying the differences in the patterns of care for prostate cancer patients treated with radical external beam radiotherapy in Japan, Germany, and the United States. The reports indicate that Japanese patients have more advanced primary disease than patients in Germany or the United States. These patient characteristics for Japan and the United States have been almost unchanged for several years. Regarding radiotherapy, conformal radiotherapy was less frequently administered to patients in Japan than patients in Germany or the United States, and the total radiation dose was higher in Germany and the United States than in Japan. Concerning changes in trends in the patterns of radiotherapy, the percentage of patients treated with higher dose levels in the United States has rapidly increased, whereas the percentage of patients receiving these dose levels in Japan has remained extremely low. On the other hand, hormonal therapy has been used more frequently in Japan than in Germany or the United States. These findings indicate that patient characteristics and patterns of care for prostate cancer in Japan are considerably different from those in Germany or the United States.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara-cho, Okinawa, 903-0215, Japan

    Kazuhiko Ogawa

  2. Department of Radiology, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan

    Katsumasa Nakamura

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan

    Tomonari Sasaki

  4. Department of Radiology, Yamanashi University, Yamanashi, Japan

    Hiroshi Onishi & Masayuki Araya

  5. Department of Radiology, Fujita Health University, Nagoya, Japan

    Masahiko Koizumi

  6. Department of Clinical Radiology, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

    Yoshiyuki Shioyama

  7. Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan

    Atsushi Okamoto & Teruki Teshima

  8. Department of Radiation Oncology, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Michihide Mitsumori

Authors
  1. Kazuhiko Ogawa
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  2. Katsumasa Nakamura
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  3. Tomonari Sasaki
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  4. Hiroshi Onishi
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  5. Masahiko Koizumi
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  6. Masayuki Araya
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  7. Yoshiyuki Shioyama
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  8. Atsushi Okamoto
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  9. Michihide Mitsumori
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  10. Teruki Teshima
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Japanese Patterns of Care Study

Working Subgroup of Prostate Cancer

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kazuhiko Ogawa.

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Ogawa, K., Nakamura, K., Sasaki, T. et al. Radical external beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer in Japan: differences in the patterns of care among Japan, Germany, and the United States. Radiat Med 26, 57–62 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-007-0195-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-007-0195-6

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