Intensity-modulated radiotherapy to the pelvis and androgen deprivation in men with locally advanced prostate cancer: a study of adverse effects and their relation to quality of life

Comparing the lifespan of virgin artificial urinary sphincters in radiated patients: transcorporal vs. standard placement

PURPOSE

To compare the lifespan of first transcorporal cuff (TC) placement of an artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) versus standard placement (SP) in patients with prior radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer (PCa).

METHODS

We reviewed first (virgin) AUS placements from two high-volume care centers between 1/2011 and 1/2021, including PCa patients with RT history. AUS lifespan was assessed via the hazard ratio of device explantation and/or revision within a ten-year timeframe for the TC vs. SP approaches. Chi-square, Fisher's exact, and t-tests compared clinicodemographic variables. Kaplan-Meier curve compared TC and SP lifespan.

RESULTS

85/314 men with AUS met inclusion criteria, with 38.8% (33/85) in the TC group and 61.2% (52/85) in the SP group. Median ages were 69.8 (IQR = 65.2-73.6) and 67.1 (61.6-72.9), respectively, p = 0.17. Over a median follow up of 51.9 (15.8-86.1) and 80.4 (28.1-128.3) months for the TC and SP, overall, 12 (36.4%) TC devices were removed (four [12.1%] due to mechanical failures; eight [24.2%] erosions, and two [6.1%] infections) vs. 29 (55.8%) in the SP group (14 [26.9%] mechanical failures; 11 [21.1%] erosions, and five [9.6%] infections). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two approaches, with HR = 0.717, 95% CI 0.37-1.44, p = 0.35. The calculated device survival probabilities for the TC vs. SP at one, five, and 10 years were 78.8% vs. 76.9%, 69.3% vs. 58.7%, and 62.1% vs. 46.7%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

TC cuff insertion for the first AUS implantation in pre-radiated patients showed to be comparable to SP when it comes to device survival, with comparable complication rates. Current guidance for approach selection is primarily based on patient selection and surgeon preference.

Acute and long-term toxicity in primary hypofractionated external photon radiation therapy in patients with localized prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Compelling evidence exists for the iso-effectiveness and safety of moderate hypofractionated radiotherapy (Hypo-RT) schedules [1, 2]. However, international guidelines are not congruent regarding recommendation of ultrahypofractionated radiotherapy (UHF-RT) to all risk groups.

METHODS

The current review gives an overview of clinically relevant toxicity extracted from major randomized controlled trials (RCT) trials comparing conventional to hypofractionated regimes in the primary setting of external photon radiation. Functional impairments are reported by using physician-rated and patient-reported scores using validated questionnaires.

RESULTS

The uncertain radiobiology of the urethra/bladder when applying extreme hypofractionation may have contributed to worse acute urinary toxicity score in the Scandinavian UHF-RT and worse subacute toxicity in PACE-B. The observed trend of increased acute GI toxicity in several moderate Hypo-RT trials and one UHF-RT trial, the Scandinavian Hypo-RT PC trial, could be associated to the different planning margins and radiation dose schedules.

CONCLUSION

Nevertheless, Hypo-RT has gained ground for patients with localized PCa and further improvements may be achieved by inclusion of genetically assessed radiation sensitivity. Several RCTs in Hypo-RT have shown non-inferior outcome and well-tolerated treatment toxicity by physician-rated scores. In the future, we suggest that toxicity should be measured by patient-reported outcome (PRO) using comparable questionnaires.

Radiotherapy is associated with reduced continence outcomes following implantation of the artificial urinary sphincter in men with post-radical prostatectomy incontinence

Objectives:

The objective of this study is to present the outcomes of men undergoing implantation of artificial urinary sphincter, after treatment for prostate cancer and also to determine the effect of radiotherapy on continence outcomes after artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) implantation.

Materials and Methods:

A prospectively acquired database of all 184 patients having AUS insertion between 2002 and 2012 was reviewed, and demographic data, mode of prostate cancer treatment(s) before implantation, and outcome in terms of complete continence (pad free, leak free) were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed by Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests.

Results:

A total of 58 (32%) men had bulbar AUS for urodynamically proven stress urinary incontinence consequent to treatment for prostate cancer in this period. Median follow-up post-AUS activation was 19 months (1–119). Forty-eight (83%) men had primary AUS insertion. Twenty-one (36%) men had radiotherapy as part of or as their sole treatment. Success rates were significantly higher in nonirradiated men having primary sphincter (89%) than in irradiated men (56%). Success rates were worse for men having revision AUS (40%), especially in irradiated men (33%).

Conclusion:

Radiotherapy as a treatment for prostate cancer was associated with significantly lower complete continence rates following AUS implantation.

Qigong/tai chi for sleep and fatigue in prostate cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

Sleep disturbances and fatigue are common in prostate cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Prior research suggests mind-body techniques may improve these outcomes. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of qigong/tai chi (QGTC) in men with prostate cancer undergoing radiotherapy.

METHODS

Men with prostate cancer starting definitive radiation were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: (1) QGTC; (2) light exercise (LE); or (3) waiting list control. Sleep disturbances (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and fatigue (Brief Fatigue Inventory) were assessed at baseline, midway through radiotherapy (T2), during the last week of radiotherapy (T3), and at 1 (T4) and 3 months (T5) after the end of radiotherapy. Patients in the QGTC and LE groups attended three 40-minute classes per week throughout radiotherapy.

RESULTS

Ninety patients were randomized to the 3 groups (QGTC = 26; LE = 26; waiting list control = 24). The QGTC group reported longer sleep duration midway through radiotherapy (QGTC = 7.01 h; LE = 6.42; WL = 6.50; P = .05), but this difference did not persist over time. There were no group differences in other domains of sleep or fatigue. Exploratory analyses conducted to examine the effect of health-related quality of life (Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite and American Urological Association Symptom score) on sleep and fatigue showed significant correlations across multiple domains.

CONCLUSIONS

Qigong/tai chi during radiation for prostate cancer resulted in superior sleep duration midway through radiation, but this effect was not durable, and there were no differences in other domains of sleep or fatigue. Exploratory analysis demonstrated that both sleep and fatigue were highly correlated with prostate cancer-related physical symptoms. Future mind-body intervention studies should incorporate multimodal therapy focused on improving physical symptoms in this population.

Fatigue and other adverse effects in men treated by pelvic radiation and long-term androgen deprivation for locally advanced prostate cancer

Background We compared the development of adverse effects and psychosocial measures from baseline to 36-month follow-up in patients with prostate cancer (T1-3 M0) referred to our department for definitive radiotherapy encompassing the prostate and pelvic lymph nodes (RAD + IMRT) or radiotherapy to the prostatic gland only (RAD), applied with standard adjuvant androgen deprivation (AD) in all patients. Few studies have explored the impact of fatigue on patients' reported quality of life (QoL) after combined therapy for prostate cancer. Material and methods The 206 consecutive eligible men (RAD + IMRT = 64 and RAD = 142) completed the UCLA-PCI questionnaire for adverse effects at baseline, 12, 24, and 36 months. QoL, anxiety and depression, and fatigue were rated at the same time points. Between-group and longitudinal within-group changes at different time points were reported. At 36 months variables associated with fatigue were analyzed with regression analyses. Results Our main novel finding is the long-term high level of fatigue and high prevalence of chronic fatigue, affecting patients receiving radiotherapy combined with long-term AD. Except for urinary bother in the RAD + IMRT group all functions and the other bothers mean scores were significantly worse at 36 months compared to baseline. In multivariable analyses only physical QoL remained significantly associated with fatigue at 36-months follow-up. Conclusions Fatigue and impaired QoL in patients considered to curative irradiation with long-term AD should be addressed when counseling men to combined treatment.

Phenotypic and molecular characteristics associated with various domains of quality of life in oncology patients and their family caregivers

PURPOSE

Not all oncology patients and their family caregivers (FCs) experience the same quality of life (QOL). The purposes of this study were to identify latent classes of oncology patients (n = 168) and their FCs (n = 85) with distinct physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being trajectories from prior to through 4 months after the completion of radiation therapy and to evaluate for demographic, clinical, and genetic characteristics that distinguished between these latent classes.

METHODS

Using growth mixture modeling, two latent classes were found for three (i.e., physical, psychological, and social well-being) of the four QOL domains evaluated.

RESULTS

Across these three domains, the largest percentage of participants reported relatively high well-being scores across the 6 months of the study. Across these three QOL domains, patients and FCs who were younger, female, belonged to an ethnic minority group, had children at home, had multiple comorbid conditions, or had a lower functional status, were more likely to be classified in the lower QOL class. The social well-being domain was the only domain that had a polymorphism in nuclear factor kappa beta 2 (NFKB2) associated with latent class membership. Carrying one or two doses of the rare allele for rs7897947 was associated with a 54 % decrease in the odds of belonging to the lower social well-being class [OR (95 % CI) = .46 (.21, .99), p = .049].

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that a number of phenotypic and molecular characteristics contribute to differences in QOL in oncology patients and their FCs.

Favorable outcomes in locally advanced and node positive prostate cancer patients treated with combined pelvic IMRT and androgen deprivation therapy

Background

The most appropriate treatment for men with prostate cancer and positive pelvic nodes, N+, is an area of active controversy. We report our 5-years outcomes in men with locally advanced prostate cancer (T1-T4N0-N1M0) treated with definitive radiotherapy encompassing the prostate and pelvic lymph nodes (intensity modulated radiotherapy, IMRT) and long-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).

Material and methods

Of the 138 consecutive eligible men all living patients have been followed up to almost 5 years. Survival endpoints for 5-year biochemical failure-free survival (BFFS), relapse-free survival (RFS), prostate cancer-specific survival (PCSS), and overall survival (OS) were assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression proportional hazards models were constructed for all survival endpoints. The RTOG morbidity grading system for physician rated toxicity was applied.

Results

Patients with locally advanced T3-T4 tumors (35 %) and N1 (51 %) have favorable outcome when long-term ADT is combined with definitive radiotherapy encompassing pelvic lymph nodes. The 5-year BFFS, RFS, PCSS and OS were 71.4, 76.2, 94.5 and 89.0 %, respectively. High Gleason sum (9–10) had a strong independent prognostic impact on BFFS, RFS and OS (p = 0.001, <0.001, and 0.005 respectively). The duration of ADT (= > 28 months) showed a significant independent association with improved PCSS (p = 0.02) and OS (p = 0.001). Lymph node involvement was not associated with survival endpoints in the multivariate analysis. The radiotherapy induced toxicity seen in our study population was moderate with rare Grade 3 GI side effects and up to 11 % for Grade 3 GU consisting mainly of urgency and frequency.

Conclusion

Pelvic IMRT in combination with long-term ADT can achieve long-lasting disease control in men with N+ disease and unfavorable prognostic factors.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13014-015-0540-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Adding intensity-modulated radiotherapy to the pelvis does not worsen the adverse effect profiles compared to limited field radiotherapy in men with prostate cancer at 12-month follow-up

To compare adverse effects and toxicity in men with high-risk or locally advanced prostate cancer when adding intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) technique to the pelvis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this prospective follow-up study 180 patients treated with conformal radiotherapy (RAD) to the prostate and vesiculae seminales (boost volumes; PV) and long-term androgen deprivation therapy (LADT), were compared to 90 patients managed by LADT, RAD to the PV and additionally pelvic IMRT. Adverse effects were self-reported at baseline, at 3- and 12-month follow-up. At each time point, the patients rated a questionnaire covering urinary, bowel, and sexual function and bother, quality of life, fatigue, and mental distress.

RESULTS

At 3-month follow-up urinary and bowel functions were significantly decreased among IMRT compared to RAD. At 12-month follow-up both groups showed the same reductions within the urinary, bowel and sexual domains. RAD patients had more mental distress than IMRT patients. The scores on quality of life, fatigue and mental distress hardly influenced function or bother within the urinary, bowel or sexual domains.

CONCLUSIONS

Men treated for high-risk or locally advanced prostate cancer with a combination of LADT, RAD and IMRT including PV and pelvic structures had considerably more acute side effects at 3 months than men treated with LADT and RAD to the PV only. However, at 12-month follow-up, the observed genitourinary and gastrointestinal function and bother were similar in both groups.

Sexual dysfunction and infertility as late effects of cancer treatment

Sexual dysfunction is a common consequence of cancer treatment, affecting at least half of men and women treated for pelvic malignancies and over a quarter of people with other types of cancer. Problems are usually linked to damage to nerves, blood vessels, and hormones that underlie normal sexual function. Sexual dysfunction also may be associated with depression, anxiety, relationship conflict, and loss of self-esteem. Innovations in cancer treatment such as robotic surgery or more targeted radiation therapy have not had the anticipated result of reducing sexual dysfunction. Some new and effective cancer treatments, including aromatase inhibitors for breast cancer or chemoradiation for anal cancer also have very severe sexual morbidity. Cancer-related infertility is an issue for younger patients, who comprise a much smaller percentage of total cancer survivors. However, the long-term emotional impact of being unable to have a child after cancer can be extremely distressing. Advances in knowledge about how cancer treatments may damage fertility, as well as newer techniques to preserve fertility, offer hope to patients who have not completed their childbearing at cancer diagnosis. Unfortunately, surveys in industrialised nations confirm that many cancer patients are still not informed about potential changes to their sexual function or fertility, and all modalities of fertility preservation remain underutilised. After cancer treatment, many patients continue to have unmet needs for information about restoring sexual function or becoming a parent. Although more research is needed on optimal clinical practice, current studies suggest a multidisciplinary approach, including both medical and psychosocial treatment options.