[Results of 125-iodine seed implant with preplanning system in 250 patients with prostate cancer]

High-dose rate brachytherapy as monotherapy in prostate cancer: A systematic review of its safety and efficacy

CONTEXT

High-dose rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) is an increasingly popular treatment for patients with localised prostate cancer (PC).

OBJECTIVE

To assess the safety and efficacy of HDR-BT as monotherapy in PC.

ACQUISITION OF EVIDENCE

A systematic literature review was conducted through searches on MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane Library, CDR, ClinicalTrials and EuroScan. We assessed safety and efficacy indicators.

SUMMARY OF THE EVIDENCE

We selected 2 reviews and 12 uncontrolled studies, included in these 2 reviews. In terms of efficacy, local control in 6 studies was 97-100%. The biochemical progression-free survival varied as follows: 85-100% for low risk and 79-92% for high risk. Survival free of metastases was >95% at 8 years, except in one study where the survival rate was 87% at 5 years. The overall survival was ≥95% in 8 studies. In terms of safety, most of the studies recorded acute and long-term genitourinary and gastrointestinal complications, especially grade ≥2. Only 3 studies found grade 4 complications. All studies, except for one without complications, observed genitourinary complications that were more frequent and severe than the gastrointestinal complications. Two studies assessed the quality of life and showed an initial reduction in various domains and subsequent partial or total recovery, except in the sexual domain.

CONCLUSIONS

HDR-BT is effective as monotherapy, especially in cases of low to intermediate risk. There is insufficient information on high-risk patients. The short to medium-term toxicity was acceptable. Further research needs to be funded to provide more information on the long-term safety and efficacy of this treatment.

Comparison of permanent (125)I seeds implants with two different techniques in 500 cases of prostate cancer

Purpose

To perform a comparative study of 500 consecutive ¹²⁵I seeds implants for intracapsular prostate carcinoma with two techniques differing in terms of both strand implantation and planning.

Material and methods

From 2002 to 2007 we performed 250 implants with fixed stranded seeds (RapidStrand™) and a preplanning system and from 2007 to 2010, 250 with real-time and ProLink™ system. Mean age was 68 and 66, respectively, median PSA (prostate-specific antigen) 7.3 and 7.2, stage T1-T2a in 98% and 94%, and Gleason ≤ 6 in 96% and 86%. Low risk cases were 81% and 71%. The prescribed dose was 145 Gy to the prostate volume, or 108 Gy plus EBRT 46 Gy in some intermediate risk cases. Hormonal treatment was given to 42% and 28%.

Results

Median follow-up was 48 and 47 months, respectively, 14 patients in the first group and 7 patients in the second developed biochemical failure (BF). Actuarial biochemical relapse-free survival (bRFS) at 5 years increased from 90.2% to 97.2% (low risk from 91.3% to 97.2%, intermediate risk from 84.2% to 97.1%). Biochemical failure was independent of hormone treatment. Rectal complications were G1-2 in 1.2% and 5.2%, respectively. A urinary catheter was necessary in 6.9% and 9.6%, and urethral resection in 1.9% and 4.4%. Genitourinary toxicity was G1-2 in 4.6% and 12%, G3-4 in 1.9% and 4.8%. An assessment of mean D₉₀ in a sample of patients showed that the dosimetry in postoperative planning based on CT improved from a mean D₉₀ of 143 Gy to 157 Gy.

Conclusions

The outcome of patients with low risk prostate carcinoma treated with ¹²⁵I seed is very good with low complications rate. The real-time approach in our hands achieved a more precise seed implantation, better dosimetry, and a statistically non-significant better biochemical control. We have made this our standard technique.

Refining prostate seed brachytherapy: Comparing high-, intermediate-, and low-activity seeds for I-125 permanent seed prostate brachytherapy

PURPOSE

To analyze the difference in prostate coverage and dose to the rectum in men with prostate carcinoma treated with permanent seed brachytherapy with different seed activities.

METHODS

Forty-nine patients treated with iodine-125 permanent seed prostate brachytherapy with low-activity seeds of 0.30-0.37 mCi were identified. For each of these patients, 2 patients with similar prostate volume (±2 cc) were paired: one treated with intermediate seed activity (0.44-0.46 mCi) and one with high seed activity (0.60-0.66 mCi). The doses to prostate and rectum were compared using CT on Day 30.

RESULTS

A total of 147 patients divided into the three seed activity groups were analyzed. Mean prostate volume was 35.7 cc (standard deviation [SD], 11.70). Compared with low-activity seeds, implants with high-activity seeds consisted of an average of 22 seeds and 4.7 needles less. The dose to the prostate (prostate volume receiving 100% of the prescribed dose [V100], prostate volume receiving 150% of the prescribed dose, and minimal dose covering 90% of the prostate volume expressed in Gy) was not higher on Day 30 (p = 0.58-0.97). The mean volume (in cubic centimeters) of rectal wall receiving 100% of the prescribed dose (V100) increased with activity: low activity, 0.34 cc (SD, 0.49), intermediate activity, 0.47 cc (SD, 0.48), and high activity, 0.72 cc (SD, 0.79) (p = 0.009). There was a trend (p = 0.073) toward a higher frequency of clinically unfavorable rectal dosimetry (V100 > 1.3 cc) in patients with high-activity seeds (16.7%) compared with low-activity (6.3%) or intermediate-activity (4.2%) seeds.

CONCLUSION

High-activity seeds do not result in a higher dose to the prostate but in a higher dose to the rectum.