UCLA Journal of Radiation Oncology FALL 2023 - Flipbook - Page 35
UCLA RADIATION ONCOLOGY JOURNAL
It was through the clinical trial that he learned
his cancer had started to spread to other
parts of his body. Once cancer has spread, or
metastasized, to outside the prostate it can
become more difficult to treat.
Dr. Kishan. “With MRI-guided radiation, we
are able to monitor the position of the prostate
with unprecedented frequency and accuracy,
allowing the use of much narrower planning
margins than we usually use. We recently
showed in a randomized trial that this leads to
less bowel and bladder side effects.”
“As a surgeon myself, I knew I didn’t want
surgery,” said Dr. Perloe. “There are a lot of
side effects that I felt I was just too young to
deal with—including urinary incontinence
and erectile dysfunction. So I decided to look
at radiation therapy and started searching the
latest research, videos and lectures that were
coming out of this field and everything I was
finding was leading me to Dr. Amar Kishan at
UCLA Health.”
SHARING WHAT HE'S LEARNED
In October of 2020, Dr. Perloe traveled out to Los
Angeles from Atlanta to begin treatment with Dr.
Kishan. After two weeks of radiation, Dr. Perloe’s
PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels dropped
dramatically. Today, they are so low the cancer is
considered undetectable.
“Everyone at UCLA was warm and made me
feel that what happened to me during treatment
mattered,” said Dr. Perloe. “I looked forward
each day to greeting the radiation technologists
who took the time to answer my questions and
to make sure I understood the process. Before
starting treatment, I was quite apprehensive
about radiation treatment, but very quickly
traffic on the 405 was the biggest concern.”
A LEADER IN RADIATION TREATMENT
Dr. Kishan, the vice-chair of Clinical and
Translational Research and chief of the
Genitourinary Oncology Service for the
department of Radiation Oncology at the David
Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the
UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer
Center, specializes in using radiation to treat
genitourinary malignancies, particularly
prostate and bladder cancers.
After treatment, Dr. Perloe, 71, who is now
retired, moved to Los Angeles to be closer to his
daughter and grandchildren. He also dedicates
a large portion of his time to meeting with
patients in support groups and encourages men
to screen for prostate cancer as well as to follow
up on abnormal results.
Along with running an active clinic, he leads
a translational research program and has
spearheaded multiple innovative clinical trials
in radiation oncology. He is currently the
principal investigator on several trials looking
at the benefits of MRI-guided stereotactic body
radiotherapy (SBRT).
Dr. Kishan is leading a phase III trial of this
type of MRI-guided technology system, called
MRIdian. Dr. Kishan and team are developing
techniques to reduce SBRT side effects through
more precise targeting of the prostate. SBRT is
a type of radiotherapy for prostate cancer that
delivers five precisely targeted doses of radiation
“While I technically may not be working, I
have important jobs that keeps me busy,” said
Dr. Perloe. “One being promoting prostate
education and awareness. Unfortunately, many
people and physicians are unaware of the
amazing technologic advances that are available
when prostate cancer is diagnosed earlier.
People are afraid of radiation because they don't
understand it.”
“When treating prostate cancer with external
radiation, we need to treat not only the prostate,
but a slight margin of tissue around the prostate
as well, to account for things like motion,” said
Along with answering questions on various
online groups and webinars, Dr. Perloe throws
“Pizza and Prostate” parties for fellow patients
who just finished their treatment.
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