ANÁLISE COMPARATIVA DO IMPACTO NA REDUÇÃO DA DURAÇÃO DO TRATAMENTO PARA PACIENTES COM CÂNCER DE PRÓSTATA COM USO DE RADIOTERAPIA ÚLTIMA GERAÇÃO EM CAMPINA GRANDE

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.0992309115

• Palavras-chave: Câncer de próstata; IMRT; Abordagens

• Keywords: Prostate cancer; IMRT; New approaches

• Abstract: Introduction: In Brazil, the majority of radiotherapy centers are concentrated in major cities, necessitating the daily long-distance travel of patients to access this type of treatment. State-of-the-art radiotherapy devices, such as Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), enable the administration of shorter treatments with the same effectiveness and fewer side effects. Objective: To quantify the average reduction in kilometers traveled per treatment for the first prostate cancer patients gaining access to IMRT and IGRT treatments in the city of Campina Grande. Methods and Materials: A retrospective analysis of patient records diagnosed with prostatic neoplasia who met the selection criteria was conducted, taking into consideration quantitative and qualitative variables, including the calculation of distances in kilometers from the patient's residence to the radiotherapy center. Statistical analysis was performed by comparing it with the scenario in which the same patients would only have access to longer treatments using previous technologies. Results: For the 15 patients (average age of 71 years) who met the selection criteria, there was an average reduction of 38% in the number of radiotherapy sessions, resulting in a 1,046.85 km per treatment reduction in the distance traveled for the completion of prostate neoplasia radiotherapy using IMRT/IGRT compared to the previous technology, with a median reduction of 39%. Conclusion: The use of IMRT/IGRT brings not only clinical advantages but also has a significant impact on the quality of life of patients. Shorter treatments significantly reduce the burden of long-distance travel for already frail patients to complete essential therapeutic procedures in the oncological process.