Two decades of high dose rate brachytherapy with external beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Issue 1 (April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Åström, Lennart; Grusell, Erik; Sandin, Fredrik; Turesson, Ingela; Holmberg, Lars
• Is Part Of: Radiotherapy and oncology. Volume 127:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 81
• Page End: 87
• Publication Date: 2018-04
• Subjects: Prostate cancer -- Radiotherapy -- Brachytherapy -- High dose rate; Oncology -- Periodicals; Radiotherapy -- Periodicals; Tumors -- Periodicals; Medical Oncology -- Periodicals; Neoplasms -- radiotherapy -- Periodicals; Radiotherapy -- Periodicals; Radiothérapie -- Périodiques; Cancérologie -- Périodiques; Tumeurs -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.9940642
• DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2017.12.025
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0167-8140

Abstract

Abstract: Background: High-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) has optimal prerequisites in radiotherapy of prostate cancer (PC) with a conformal dose distribution and high doses per fraction giving a biological dose escalation. We report the outcome after HDR-BT and external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) after 20 years of experience. Material and methods: The study includes 623 patients, median age of 66 years, treated from 1995 to 2008 and a median follow up of 11 years (range 2–266 months). Androgen deprivation therapy was given to 429 patients (69%). The HDR-BT was given with two 10 Gy fractions and the EBRT with 2 Gy fractions to 50 Gy. Results: The 10-year PC-specific survival was 100%, 92%, 91%, and 75% for low-, intermediate-, high- and very high-risk patients respectively, and the 10-year probability of PSA relapse was 0%, 21%, 33%, and 65% respectively. The 10-year actuarial prevalence for ≥grade 2 GU- and GI-toxicities were 28% and 12% respectively and for ≥grade 3, 4% and 1% respectively. Urethral stricture was the most frequent GU complication with a 10-year actuarial incidence of 10%. Treatment without dose constraints for the urethra conferred a higher incidence 18%, compared to 5% after 2003 ( p < 0.001). Sixteen patients experienced grade 4 GU toxicity, of which 13 were treated before 2003. No grade 4 rectal toxicity was seen. Conclusion: The combination of EBRT and HDR-BT with adequate dose constraints to risk organs provides satisfactory long-term tumour control even in high-risk patients. GI toxicity stabilised but GU toxicity progressed during the 10-year follow up.