A comparison of the acute toxicities using moderate hypo-fractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy or volumetric modulated arc therapy for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer. Issue 3 (11th June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Elith, Craig A.; Dempsey, Shane E.; Warren-Forward, Helen M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of radiotherapy in practice. Volume 14:Issue 3(2014)
• Page Start: 274
• Page End: 284
• Publication Date: 2015-06-11
• Subjects: Radiotherapy -- Periodicals; 615.842005
• DOI: 10.1017/S1460396915000242
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1460-3969

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="abs1" sec-type="general"> <title>Aim</title> <p>This study compared the acute toxicities reported during radiotherapy treatment using either intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) to deliver a moderate hypo-fractionated treatment for early-stage prostate cancer.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs2" sec-type="general"> <title>Material and methods</title> <p>Acute toxicities are routinely reported at the clinical site for all patients using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Toxicity assessment is performed on day 1 of treatment, then once weekly thereafter. The recorded toxicities of 40 cases treated with five-field IMRT, and 32 cases treated using VMAT were retrospectively compared. All cases were prescribed 73·68 Gy in 28 fractions. Eight symptoms were assessed; diarrhoea, proctitis, fatigue, pain, dermatitis, urinary frequency, urinary retention and urinary tract pain.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs3" sec-type="results"> <title>Results</title> <p>In terms of the overall toxicity recorded, VMAT was shown to reduce the toxicities of dermatitis, fatigue, pain and urinary frequency (<italic>p</italic><0·05). Using IMRT, grade 2 toxicities were reported for proctitis, pain, urinary frequency, urinary retention and urinary tract pain. Using VMAT, grade 2 toxicities were reported for urinary frequency and urinary retention.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs4" sec-type="general"> <title>Findings</title> <p>The research reported here is one of the first publications to demonstrate that VMAT is associated with decreased toxicities compared with IMRT for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer.</p> </sec> </abstract>