A study looking at giving men a DVD/video about treatment for prostate cancer (SABRE1)

This study looked at giving men with prostate cancer a DVD/video to help them decide which treatment to have. And to find out if a study comparing radical prostatectomy with brachytherapy to the prostate could be done. This trial was for men whose prostate cancer was only in their prostate and hadn’t spread (localised prostate cancer). This trial was supported by Cancer Research UK.

When men are diagnosed with prostate cancer their doctor will discuss treatments that are available to them. They are also given written information to take home on prostate cancer and its treatment, to help them decide which treatment is best for them.

Half the men in this study had written material on prostate cancer and treatment. The other half had a DVD/video on prostate cancer and its treatment, as well as the written material. The researchers wanted to see if this helped them in deciding on treatment.

Two possible treatments for prostate cancer are surgery (radical prostatectomy) and internal radiotherapy (brachytherapy). Very few studies have been done comparing their benefits. This study also wanted to find out if it was practical to set up another study to compare these 2 treatments.

This study aimed to find out

• If the DVD/video helped men to choose which treatment to have

• If a study comparing radical prostatectomy and brachytherapy to the prostate could be done