title: Dose-volume relationship for acute side effects during high dose conformal radiotherapy for prostate cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine acute and late complications for bladder and rectum and to determine dose-volume correlations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four patients received definitive treatment for prostate cancer between January 1995 and December 1998 using conformal three-dimensional radiotherapy. Doses ranged from 72 to 80Gy. The acute and late side effects were gathered retrospectively, and graded according to Radiotherapy and Oncology Group criteria (RTOG). The patients were divided into two groups: <or=72Gy (Group A) and >or=76Gy (Group B) and had a mean follow-up of 32 and 22 months, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No grades 3-4 acute, urinary or rectal toxicity was reported. Acute grade 2 rectal complications were seen in 10 and 18% of the patients in Groups A and B, respectively. They were observed at a mean dose of 38Gy. Acute grade 2 urinary symptoms were 33 and 47% for Groups A and B, respectively. They were seen at a mean dose of 43Gy. Acute rectal symptoms were dose-volume related. Patients without diarrhea had a mean rectal volume receiving a dose of 70Gy or more of 8.5 cm(3). However, patients with RTOG 2 diarrhea had a volume of 16.5 cm(3) (P=0.042). No dose-volume relationship for acute bladder symptoms or late complications were seen. Grades 1-2 late rectal and bladder complications were seen in 11 and 8% of the patients, respectively. None required hospital admission or transfusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiotherapy to the prostate can be given at 80Gy. No grades 3-4 acute, urinary or rectal toxicity was reported. Acute rectal symptoms are dose-volume related.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Joost J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Nuyttens
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milito
authors.forename: Philip F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Rust
authors.forename: Andrew T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Turrisi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003248:Constipation / Q000209:etiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011881:Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012007:Rectum / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013997:Time Factors; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects