POULSBO — Peninsula Prostate Institute is one of 20 sites in the U.S. participating in the SpaceOAR System clinical study, evaluating the SpaceOAR gel as a means of protecting organs adjacent to the prostate from exposure to radiation during treatment.

The study is sponsored by Augmenix, Inc.

“The value of this study is far-reaching, with the potential to reduce radiation therapy side effects and improve tumor targeting,” said Dr. R. Alex Hsi, co-founder of Peninsula Prostate Institute.

Patients participating in the study will be followed for 12 months following completion of radiation therapy. There is no cost to patients to participate in the study.

Prostate cancer is second only to skin cancer as the most common male cancer in the United States. Each year, more than 200,000 men are affected by this disease. Men age 50 and older, African American men and men with a family history of prostate cancer are at higher risk.

According to Peninsula Prostate Institute, most prostate cancers are slow-growing and can be detected at an early stage, when most can be cured.

Peninsula Prostate Institute (www.peninsulaprostateinstitute.com) is located in Poulsbo.