title: Permanent prostate implant using high activity seeds and inverse planning with fast simulated annealing algorithm: A 12-year Canadian experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report outcomes and toxicity of the first Canadian permanent prostate implant program.
  
  
  METHODS
  396 consecutive patients (Gleason < or =6, initial prostate specific antigen (PSA) < or =10 and stage T1-T2a disease) were implanted between June 1994 and December 2001. The median follow-up is of 60 months (maximum, 136 months). All patients were planned with fast-simulated annealing inverse planning algorithm with high activity seeds ([gt] 0.76 U). Acute and late toxicity is reported for the first 213 patients using a modified RTOG toxicity scale. The Kaplan-Meier biochemical failure-free survival (bFFS) is reported according to the ASTRO and Houston definitions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The bFFS at 60 months was of 88.5% (90.5%) according to the ASTRO (Houston) definition and, of 91.4% (94.6%) in the low risk group (initial PSA < or =10 and Gleason < or =6 and Stage < or =T2a). Risk factors statistically associated with bFFS were: initial PSA >10, a Gleason score of 7-8, and stage T2b-T3. The mean D90 was of 151 +/- 36.1 Gy. The mean V100 was of 85.4 +/- 8.5% with a mean V150 of 60.1 +/- 12.3%. Overall, the implants were well tolerated. In the first 6 months, 31.5% of the patients were free of genitourinary symptoms (GUs), 12.7% had Grade 3 GUs; 91.6% were free of gastrointestinal symptoms (GIs). After 6 months, 54.0% were GUs free, 1.4% had Grade 3 GUs; 95.8% were GIs free.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The inverse planning with fast simulated annealing and high activity seeds gives a 5-year bFFS, which is comparable with the best published series with a low toxicity profile.
authors.affiliation: Département de Radio-oncologie, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de l'Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: André-Guy
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beaulieu
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pouliot
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Harel
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vigneault
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D002170:Canada; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen