Clinical results of iridium-192 high dose rate brachytherapy with external beam radiotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
Here, we report the clinical results of iridium-192 high dose rate brachytherapy at Kanazawa University Hospital.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 166 patients diagnosed with T1c-T3bN0M0 prostate cancer treated with high dose rate brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy and followed up for 6 months or longer. Treatment consisted of external beam radiotherapy to the prostate at 44 Gy/22 fractions and high dose rate brachytherapy at 18 Gy/3 fractions.


RESULTS
Median follow-up interval was 31.5 months (range 6.2-88.7). The overall 5-year biological recurrence-free survival rate was 93.0%. The 5-year biological recurrence-free survival rates for the patients in low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups according to the D'Amico risk classification criteria were 96.1%, 89.0% and 91.6%, respectively. When limited to the group that did not receive adjuvant hormonal therapy, the 5-year biological recurrence-free survival rates for the patients in low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups were 96.0%, 96.3% and 82.9%, respectively. Grade 3 or greater adverse effects were rare. Urethral stricture was observed in only 1.0% of the patients. Eighty percent of patients retained erectile function after high dose rate brachytherapy and reported satisfaction with sexual function.


CONCLUSIONS
High dose rate brachytherapy is considered a good form of treatment for localized prostate cancer, although longer follow-up is necessary.
Nohara
Takahiro
T
Department of Integrative Cancer Therapy and Urology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan.
Mizokami
Atsushi
A
Kumano
Tomoyasu
T
Shigehara
Kazuyoshi
K
Konaka
Hiroyuki
H
Yoshifumi
Kadono
K
Yasuhide
Kitagawa
K
Izumi
Kouji
K
Narimoto
Kazutaka
K
Namiki
Mikio
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011867:Radioisotope Teletherapy; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes