Rectal bleeding after high-dose-rate brachytherapy combined with hypofractionated external-beam radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer: impact of rectal dose in high-dose-rate brachytherapy on occurrence of grade 2 or worse rectal bleeding.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence of Grade 2 or worse rectal bleeding after high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy combined with hypofractionated external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT), with special emphasis on the relationship between the incidence of rectal bleeding and the rectal dose from HDR brachytherapy.


METHODS
The records of 100 patients who were treated by HDR brachytherapy combined with EBRT for > or =12 months were analyzed. The fractionation schema for HDR brachytherapy was prospectively changed, and the total radiation dose for EBRT was fixed at 51 Gy. The distribution of the fractionation schema used in the patients was as follows: 5 Gy x 5 in 13 patients; 7 Gy x 3 in 19 patients; and 9 Gy x 2 in 68 patients.


RESULTS
Ten patients (10%) developed Grade 2 or worse rectal bleeding. Regarding the correlation with dosimetric factors, no significant differences were found in the average percentage of the entire rectal volume receiving 30%, 50%, 80%, and 90% of the prescribed radiation dose from EBRT between those with bleeding and those without. The average percentage of the entire rectal volume receiving 10%, 30%, 50%, 80%, and 90% of the prescribed radiation dose from HDR brachytherapy in those who developed rectal bleeding was 77.9%, 28.6%, 9.0%, 1.5%, and 0.3%, respectively, and was 69.2%, 22.2%, 6.6%, 0.9%, and 0.4%, respectively, in those without bleeding. The differences in the percentages of the entire rectal volume receiving 10%, 30%, and 50% between those with and without bleeding were statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The rectal dose from HDR brachytherapy for patients with prostate cancer may have a significant impact on the incidence of Grade 2 or worse rectal bleeding.
Akimoto
Tetsuo
T
Department of Radiation Oncology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.
Katoh
Hiroyuki
H
Kitamoto
Yoshizumi
Y
Tamaki
Tomoaki
T
Harada
Kosaku
K
Shirai
Katsuyuki
K
Nakano
Takashi
T
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D012007:Rectum / Q000528:radiation effects*
D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes