SpaceOAR™

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you may be considering radiation therapy for treatment. Radiation therapy is extremely effective in targeting and treating prostate cancer, but as with any procedure there are potential side effects. These side effects can be mild and go away on their own, but for some patients they can last for years after treatment is completed and can have a profoundly negative impact on quality of life.

Side effects can include:

• Rectal pain and bleeding
• Chronic diarrhea
• Urinary urgency and leakage
• Erectile dysfunction

What is SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel?

SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel is an absorbable hydrogel that temporarily creates space between the prostate and the rectum, reducing the radiation dose delivered to the rectum during prostate radiation therapy.

A little space makes a big difference™

SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel has been evaluated in many clinical studies and shown to be effective in reducing radiation to organs at risk. In the U.S., 222 prostate cancer patients participated in a multi-center, randomized, patient-blinded clinical study. Study results showed that the hydrogel was safe and effective. The average SpaceOAR Hydrogel study patient gained ½ inch (1.3 cm) of space between the prostate and rectum, and had significant reduction in radiation dose to the rectum resulting in significantly fewer rectal side effects.(1)

Follow-up study
Three years after treatment, patients from the study were asked to report on their quality of life for bowel, urinary and sexual functions. These patient-reported outcomes showed that SpaceOAR Hydrogel patients experienced significantly fewer long-term rectal side effects, were more likely to maintain sexual function, and showed significantly lower decline in patient-reported urinary and bowel quality of life.2,3 To read the peer-reviewed clinical studies and other publications, please go to spaceoar.com/clinicals.

Type of prostate cancer radiation treatments

The type of prostate cancer radiation treatment that  SpaceOAR Hydrogel be used? SpaceOAR Hydrogel can be used in all types of radiation therapy. Here are the four most common types: 

• External radiation (or external beam radiation therapy – EBRT) uses a machine that directs high-energy rays (or photons) from outside of the body into the tumor. Most patients get external radiation therapy over many weeks, during outpatient visits to a hospital or treatment center.
• Internal radiation, also called brachytherapy, involves putting a radioactive source inside the body into or near the tumor.
• Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) uses advanced imaging techniques to deliver extremely precise, very intense doses of radiation to the prostate (usually in up to five treatments over a period of days).
• Proton beam therapy uses proton particles in lieu of x-rays or photons.