title: Clinical results of iridium-192 high dose rate brachytherapy with external beam radiotherapy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Cancer Therapy and Urology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nohara
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mizokami
authors.forename: Tomoyasu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumano
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shigehara
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Konaka
authors.forename: Kadono
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshifumi
authors.forename: Kitagawa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasuhide
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Kazutaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Narimoto
authors.forename: Mikio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Namiki
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes