Prospective evaluation of quality of life after interstitial brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Permanent interstitial brachytherapy (IB) has become an increasingly appealing therapeutic option for localized prostate cancer (LPC) among physicians and patients because it involves short hospitalization and treatment and its postulated low degree of toxicity may reduce its impact on the patients' quality of life (QoL). The aim of this prospective study was to assess the impact of IB on the QoL of patients with LPC.


METHODS
A validated self-completed questionnaire was administered to the patients before and after IB and then at yearly intervals. The items allowed the identification of seven subscales exploring physical well-being (PHY), physical autonomy (POW), psychological well-being (PSY), relational life (REL), urinary function (URI), rectal function (REC), and sexual function (SEX).


RESULTS
The assessment of the QoL of 147 patients treated between May 2000 and February 2005 revealed no relevant differences in the PHY scale scores 1 month after IB or later, and the same was true of the POW, PSY, and REL scales. Urinary function significantly worsened after IB and returned to pretreatment levels only after 3 years; the impact of the treatment on the URI scale was greater in the patients with good baseline urinary function than in those presenting more urinary symptoms before IB. Rectal and sexual functions were significantly worse only at the post-IB evaluation.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study confirm that the impact of IB on the patients' QoL is low despite its transient negative effects on some function, and extend existing knowledge concerning QoL after IB.
Caffo
Orazio
O
Department of Medical Oncology, Santa Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy. orazio.caffo@apss.tn.it
Fellin
Gianni
G
Bolner
Andrea
A
Coccarelli
Franco
F
Divan
Claudio
C
Frisinghelli
Michela
M
Mussari
Salvatore
S
Ziglio
Franco
F
Malossini
Gianni
G
Tomio
Luigi
L
Galligioni
Enzo
E
D000368:Aged; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D003075:Coitus; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000209:etiology