Outpatient ultrasound-guided palladium 103 brachytherapy for localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate: a preliminary report of 434 patients

Sexual function and male cancer

Quality of life in general and sexual functioning in particular have become very important in cancer patients. Biological factors such as anatomic alterations, physiological changes and secondary effect of medical interventions may preclude normal sexual functioning even when sexual desire is intact. In spite of modern surgical techniques, improved chemotherapeutical drugs and sophisticated radiation techniques, still many patients complain of impaired sexual function after cancer treatment. A large number of instruments already exist to assess quality of life in cancer patients. It is important to standardize procedures and to use validated questionnaires. Collecting data on an ongoing basis before and long after treatment is mandatory, and control groups must be used. Patients should be offered sexual counselling and informed about the availability of therapies for sexual dysfunctions. In this paper we review the topic of sexual functioning after treatment (predominantly after radiotherapy) of the most common malignancies in men and give suggestions for treatment.

Penile Rehabilitation Strategies Among Prostate Cancer Survivors

Despite advances in technical and surgical approaches, erectile dysfunction (ED) remains the most common complication among prostate cancer survivors, adversely impacting quality of life. This article analyzes the concept and rationale of ED rehabilitation programs in prostate cancer patients. Emphasis is placed on the pathophysiology of ED after diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer to understand the efficacy of rehabilitation programs in clinical practice. Available evidence shows that ED is a transient complication following prostate biopsy and cancer diagnosis, with no evidence to support rehabilitation programs in these patients. A small increase in ED and in the use of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors was reported in patients under active surveillance. Patients should be advised that active surveillance is unlikely to severely affect erectile function, but clinically significant changes in sexual function are possible. Focal therapy could be an intermediate option for patients demanding treatment/refusing active surveillance and invested in maintaining sexual activity. Unlike radical prostatectomy, there is no support for PDE5 inhibitor use to prevent ED after highly conformal external radiotherapy or low-dose rate brachytherapy. Despite progress in the understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms responsible for ED in prostate cancer patients, the success rates of rehabilitation programs remain low in clinical practice. Alternative strategies to prevent ED appear warranted, with attention toward neuromodulation, nerve grafting, nerve preservation, stem cell therapy, investigation of neuroprotective interventions, and further refinements of radiotherapy dosing and delivery methods.

Cardiotoxicity of Palladium Compounds / Kardiotoksičnost Jedinjenja Paladijuma

Previous studies have shown that palladium has toxic effects on the kidney and liver, leads to deterioration of the general condition of animals, and could cause allergy in animals and humans. Considering the limited data about the influence of palladium on the cardiovascular system, the aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of palladium on the heart from available published data, and to compare the toxicity of inorganic and organic palladium compounds. Relevant studies for our review were identified from PubMed and Scopus databases. The search terms included »palladium «, »palladium compound«, »cardiotoxicity«, »toxicity«, »heart«, »myocardium«, »oxidative stress« and »myocardial enzyme«, as well as combinations of these terms. There were only two published studies with the primary purpose to investigate the effect of palladium on the cardiovascular system, while others registered the side-effects of palladium compounds on the heart. Palladium could cause arrhythmias, a drop in blood pressure, decrease of the heart rate, as well as death of experimental animals. Based on the presented data it seems that palladium does not express significant cardiac toxicity when it is bound in an organic compound. Further investigation of the effects of palladium on the heart is necessary for a clear picture of the nature and extent of its cardiac toxicity.

Long-term tumor control after brachytherapy for base-of-prostate cancer

PURPOSE

To evaluate the outcomes of patients presenting with cancer at the base of the prostate after brachytherapy as monotherapy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients who had undergone transperineal ultrasound-guided implantation with (125)I or (103)Pd seeds as monotherapy between March 1998 and December 2006, at our institution. A minimum follow-up interval of 2 years was required for inclusion in our analysis. Dosimetry was assessed using computed tomography 30 days after the implant. Treatment failure was defined as the appearance of biopsy-proved tumor after seed implantation, radiographic evidence of metastases, receipt of salvage therapy, or elevation of the prostate-specific antigen level beyond the nadir value plus 2 ng/mL.

RESULTS

With a median follow-up interval of 89 months (range 25-128 months), all 52 of the identified patients had no evidence of disease progression or biochemical failure. The mean number of cores sampled at the prostate base was 2.84 (median 2); Gleason scores assigned at central review were 6-8 in all patients. Of the 30 patients (58%) for whom dosimetric data were available at day 30, the median V100 values of the right and left base were 92.0% and 93.5%, respectively, and the median D90 values of the right and left base were 148 Gy and 151 Gy, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Permanent prostate brachytherapy as monotherapy results in a high probability of disease-free survival for men with cancer at the base of the prostate.

Techniques, indications et résultats de la curiethérapie interstitielle par implants permanents dans le cancer localisé de la prostate

Permanent seed brachytherapy as a monotherapy is an appropriate treatment in patients with low risk localized prostate cancer such as intraprostatic cancer, T1-2 stage, PSA less than 10 ng/mL, low tumour volume, well differentiated cancer (Gleason score less than 7), gland size less than 50 mL, no micturition symptoms that could decompensate after implantation. A brachytherapy program needs a specialized multidisciplinary team with the collaboration of urologists, radiotherapists (authorized person to manipulate radioactive elements), and physicists. The 10-year oncologic and morbidity results have been published in the literature and are comparable to those of other standard treatments of localized prostate cancer such as radical prostatectomy and external beam radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy for prostate cancer and erectile (dys)function: the role of imaging

Incidence of erectile dysfunction (ED) after radiotherapy reported in the literature varies from 7 to 72% after external-beam radiotherapy to 5-51% after brachytherapy. Most of these studies are retrospective, the definition of ED is variable and sexual functioning is frequently assessed by asking only one question. Already in the 1980's it was suggested that post-radiation ED was attributable to vascular damage. The most reliable method to assess vasculogenic ED is the use of the Doppler ultrasound. More recently, many studies have assessed the relationship between radiation dose and volume of the penile bulb and post-radiation ED, though the outcome is controversial. The penile structures and the neurovascular bundles are best seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Therefore the use of a computer tomography scan/MRI image fusion can result in reducing the planning target volume and consequently the radiation dose to the penile bulb and bodies. If radiation induces vascular damage that causes ED, any means of reducing the dose to the pelvic vascular structures would likely decrease ED, therefore new radiation techniques such as the intensity modulated radiation therapy or the implant of fiducial markers can help decrease the margins and therefore ED.

[Prostate cancer. Treatment]

The discovery and the utilisation of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) that allows early diagnosis of prostate cancer, have considerably improved the management of this disease. Before the PSA era, prostate cancer was just a disease of the old man, generally detected at an advanced stage and incurable, with a fatal outcome delayed by the androgenic deprivation. Since early 1990's, prostate cancer has become primarily a disease of the man of 60 years, detectable earlier, and curable provided no extraprostatic dissemination has occurred. Early treatment of prostate cancer has benefited from important advances in surgical and radio-therapeutic techniques (conformational irradiation, brachytherapy), with, as principal goal, the combination of a better survival and the reduction of the potential adverse effects that alter quality of life. A better definition of the characteristics of the tumours in terms of progression regarding various parameters (clinical stage, PSA, tumoral differentiation) have resulted, despite the heterogeneity of the disease, in the determination of subgroups of tumours with different prognosis, which leads to an improved therapeutic strategy. The assessment of men's life expectancy (< or > 10 years) is the second primary parameter on which is based the indication for curative or non curative therapy in case of localized tumour. Roughly, before the age of 75, a curative therapy is indicated whereas after this age a surveillance is reasonable as first-line treatment, followed by hormone therapy in case of onset of symptoms indicating some progression of the disease (urinary symptoms, bone lesion). At a Later stage, in case of a metastatic or locally advanced cancer, hormone therapy by androgenic deprivation is highly indicated. The hormone sensitivity characterizes prostate cancer; it has been discovered more than 50 years ago by Charles Huggins (Nobel prize-winner). This hormone therapy is a palliative treatment since its efficacy is transient (ineluctable occurrence of hormone resistance in a variable time delay), but it constitutes an essential therapeutic means with a well-established efficacy. Hormone therapy has progressively improved, with the renunciation of oestrogen therapy and surgical castration which has been replaced by luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) analogues, and/ or anti-androgens. Numerous works have resulted in a better rationalization of the prescription (date of treatment initiation, interest of combined androgenic deprivation, ...) but uncertainties remain, such as the therapeutic interest of intermittent treatment, or of earlier hormone therapy combined with the treatment of the primitive tumour (adjuvant hormone therapy). Finally, at the time of the hormonal escape of which the molecular mechanisms remain unclear, no therapy has proven any efficacy in survival lengthening, and the treatment remains palliative and symptomatic. Although improved knowledge of prostate cancer aetiology is expected for a real disease prevention, early diagnosis at a curable stage of the disease (by PSA assessment) remains the only means for mortality reduction.

Iodine 125 Versus Palladium 103 Implants for Prostate Cancer

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes and compare complication rates for patients with prostate cancer treated with iodine 125 ((125)I) and palladium 103 ((103)Pd) prostate brachytherapy at a single institution.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between 1992 and 2002, 272 patients with prostate cancer were treated with ultrasound-guided transperineal implantation incorporating (125)I (107 patients) or (103)Pd (165 patients). Three months of hormonal therapy was incorporated into the treatment program in 33% of the patients in both groups. Nineteen percent of those treated with (125)I were treated with a combination of implantation plus external-beam radiation therapy. Only 6% of the group receiving (103)Pd implants were treated with such a combination. For those treated with (125)I implantation alone, the minimum tumor dose was 145 Gy. The minimum tumor dose for those treated with (103)Pd alone was 125 Gy. Those treated with a combination of external-beam radiation therapy and (125)I received 45 Gy via 1.8-Gy fractions followed by implantation with a minimum tumor dose of 110 Gy. For those treated with external-beam radiation therapy and (103)Pd, the doses were 45 Gy via 1.8-Gy fractions followed by implantation with minimum tumor dose of 98 Gy. Outcomes were evaluated based on radionuclide used, T stage, Gleason score, prostate-specific antigen, and prognostic group. Complications were also evaluated for each radionuclide. The mean follow-up for the (125)I group was 55 months, and the range was 12-108 months. The mean follow-up for the (103)Pd group was 44 months, and the range was 12-72 months.

RESULTS

The 5-year biochemical disease-free survival rates for those in the favorable group (clinical stage T1c or T2, prostate-specific antigen level <10, Gleason score <7) were 92% for the (125)I group and 92% for the patients treated with (103)Pd. The 5-year disease-free survival rates for those in the intermediate and poor prognostic groups, which were combined, was 72% and 74%, respectively, for (125)I and (103)Pd. There was no statistically significant difference for either modality for any treatment group tested. In those treated with implantation alone, patients treated with (125)I had higher complication rates than those treated with (103)Pd (15% vs 4%). (125)I-treated patients had a grade 2 complication rate of 8% and a grade 3-4 complication rate of 7%, compared with 3% and 1%, respectively, for the (103)Pd-treated patients.

CONCLUSION

Despite the different management recommendations that evolved during the study period, the clinical outcome for patients treated with either radionuclide were similar with respect to biochemical disease-free survival. Although specific dosimetric comparisons are not valid given differences in imaging over the study course, the complication rate appears to be somewhat higher for (125)I, which is consistent with a radiobiologic model.

Myths and fallacies in permanent prostate brachytherapy

Because there are competing modalities to treat early-stage prostate cancer, the constraints or deficiencies of one modality may be erroneously applied to others. Some valid concerns arising from surgery and external beam therapy, which have been falsely transferred to brachytherapy, are constraints based on patient age, clinical and pathological parameters, patient weight, and size of prostate. Although the constraints have a valid basis in one modality, knowledge of the origin and mechanism of the constraint has provided a means to circumvent or overcome it in brachytherapy. Failures as measured by biochemical no-evidence of disease (bNED) survival may be attributed to extracapsular disease extension. Such extension often expresses itself in surrogate parameters such as a high percentage of positive biopsies, perineural invasion, or the dominant pattern in Gleason score histology. Failures due to such factors may be prevented by implanting with consistent extracapsular dosimetric margins. Some presumed limitations on prostate brachytherapy originated from data on patients implanted in the first few years the procedure was being developed. Most of the urinary morbidity and a significant part of the decrease in sexual function observed may be avoided by controlling the dosimetry along the prostatic and membranous urethra and at the penile bulb.

Localized prostate cancer: brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is a treatment for localized prostate cancer that has become popular with physicians and patients. The use and convenience of transrectal ultrasound and transperineal placement of the sources make contemporary forms of this procedure more accurate and more patient-friendly than their predecessors. In addition, the early detection of cancer by the use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) makes contemporary tumors more amenable to successful treatment by such a localized technique. Brachytherapy offers cancer control rates at 5 years, as measured by PSA, that seem to be as effective as surgery and external beam therapy. Less information is available for 10 years, and none afterward. The acute urinary morbidity rate of brachytherapy is higher than for external beam therapy, but the late urinary morbidity rate is probably equal. The rectal morbidity rate is less. The risk of erectile impotence is uncertain but not as low as originally hoped. The use of external radiation in combination with brachytherapy may increase 5-year tumor control rates but is substantially more expensive and likely carries an increased risk of morbidity. Newer forms of brachytherapy such as magnetic resonance-guided and high-dose-rate temporary implants have vocal advocates but a shorter track record and fewer published prospective studies. Their use remains investigational. Therefore, prostate brachytherapy remains a reasonable option for men with early stage disease, but there remain unanswered questions regarding long-term efficacy and morbidity.

American Brachytherapy Society recommendations for reporting morbidity after prostate brachytherapy

PURPOSE

To standardize the reporting of brachytherapy-related prostate morbidity to guide ongoing clinical practice and future investigations.

METHODS

Members of the American Brachytherapy Society (ABS) with expertise in prostate brachytherapy performed a literature review and, guided by their clinical experience, formulated specific recommendations for reporting on morbidity related to prostate brachytherapy.

RESULTS

The ABS recommends using validated, patient-administered health-related quality-of-life instruments for the determination of baseline and follow-up data regarding bowel, urinary, and sexual function. Both actuarial and crude incidences should be reported, along with the temporal resolution of specific complications, and correlated with the doses to the normal tissues. The International Prostate Symptom Score is recommended to assess urinary morbidity, and any dysuria, gross hematuria, urinary retention, incontinence, or medication use should be quantified. Likewise, the "Sexual Health Inventory for Men," which includes the specific erectile questions of the International Index of Erectile Function, is the preferred instrument for reporting sexual function, and the loss of sexual desire, incidence of hematospermia, painful orgasm (orgasmalgia), altered orgasm intensity, decreased ejaculatory volume, use of erectile aids, and use of hormones for androgen deprivation should be quantified. The ABS recommends adoption of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer acute and late radiation morbidity scoring scheme for reporting rectal morbidity and noting the incidence of rectal steroid, laser, or antidiarrheal use.

CONCLUSION

It is important to focus on health-related quality-of-life issues in the treatment of prostate cancer, because the control rates are very similar between appropriate treatment modalities. The ABS recommends using the International Prostate Symptom Score, International Index of Erectile Function, and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group toxicity grading criteria for the determination of urinary, sexual, and bowel function, respectively. Additional parameters for reporting urinary, rectal, and sexual morbidities are presented. These morbidities should be correlated with the doses to the normal tissues. Some of these specific recommendations may be modified if and when new data become available.

The influence of percentage of preradiation needle biopsies with adenocarcinoma and total radiation dose on the pathologic response of unfavorable prostate adenocarcinoma

We studied relationships among clinicopathologic factors in 78 patients with unfavorable prostate adenocarcinoma treated in a dose-escalation radiation therapy (RT) study using pre- and 18-month protocol post-RT biopsy specimens. Pre-RT factors analyzed were serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, Gleason score, and percentage of needle cores with adenocarcinoma; post-RT factors were percentage of needle cores with adenocarcinoma and amount of radiation effect on the adenocarcinoma. Of 78 patients, 42 (54%) had residual adenocarcinoma in the post-RT biopsy specimen. Lower total RT dose and dose per implant and greater serum PSA level were associated with an increasing percentage of needle cores with residual post-RT adenocarcinoma. Lower RT dose, an increasing percentage of pre-RT needle cores with adenocarcinoma, and a greater serum PSA level were associated with an increasing percentage of post-RT needle cores with no to moderate RT effect scores in adenocarcinoma. The mean percentage of pre-RT and post-RT needle cores with adenocarcinoma was greater in patients with post-RT biopsy specimens with no to moderate RT effect. The percentage of pre-RT needle cores with adenocarcinoma (a surrogate marker of adenocarcinoma volume), serum PSA level, and RT dose are the key components in the dose-response relationship. Gleason score and gland volume did not contribute significantly to this relationship.

Erectile function after permanent prostate brachytherapy

PURPOSE

To determine the incidence of potency preservation after permanent prostate brachytherapy using a validated patient-administered questionnaire and to evaluate the effect of multiple clinical and treatment parameters on penile erectile function.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Four hundred twenty-five patients underwent permanent prostate brachytherapy from April 1995 to October 1999. Two hundred nine patients who were potent before brachytherapy and who at the time of the survey were not receiving hormonal therapy were mailed the specific erectile questions of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire with a self-addressed stamped envelope. The questionnaire consisted of 5 questions, with a maximal score of 25. Of the 209 patients, 181 (87%) completed and returned the questionnaire. The mean and median follow-up was 40.4 +/- 14.9 and 40.6 months, respectively (range 19-75). Preimplant erectile function was assigned using a three-tiered scoring system (2 = erections always or nearly always sufficient for vaginal penetration; 1 = erections sufficient for vaginal penetration but considered suboptimal; 0 = the inability to obtain erections and/or erections inadequate for vaginal penetration). Postimplant potency was defined as an IIEF score >/=11. The clinical parameters evaluated for erectile function included patient age, preimplant potency, clinical T-stage, pretreatment prostate-specific antigen level, Gleason score, elapsed time after implantation, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and tobacco consumption. Treatment parameters included radiation dose to the prostate gland, use of hormonal manipulation, use of supplemental external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), choice of isotope, prostate volume, and planning volume. The efficacy of sildenafil citrate in brachytherapy-induced erectile dysfunction (ED) was also evaluated.

RESULTS

Pretreatment erectile function scores of 2 and 1 were assigned to 125 and 56 patients, respectively. With a 6-year follow-up, 39% of patients maintained potency after prostate brachytherapy, with a plateau on the potency preservation curve. Postimplant preservation of potency (IIEF >/=11) correlated with preimplant erectile function (50.4% vs. 13.2% for preimplant scores of 2 and 1, respectively, p <0.001), patient age (57.4%, 38.2%, and 21.9% for patients <60, 60-69, and >/=70 years old, respectively, p <0.004), use of supplemental EBRT (52.0% vs. 26.4% for patients without and with EBRT, p <0.001), and a history of diabetes mellitus (41.4% vs. 0% for patients without and with diabetes, respectively, p = 0.017). In multivariate analysis, clinical stage, radiation dose to the prostate gland, hormonal manipulation, choice of isotope, history of hypertension, and tobacco consumption had no effect on the ultimate preservation of potency. Only the preimplant potency score, use of supplemental EBRT, and diabetes maintained statistical significance. Sixty-two patients used sildenafil, with 53 (85%) reporting a favorable response. When potent patients were grouped with the ED patients who used sildenafil, the 6-year actuarial rate of potency preservation was 92%. Including the 70 impotent patients who never used sildenafil, the actuarial 6-year rate of potency preservation with and without pharmacologic support was 54% and 39%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that brachytherapy-induced ED is more common than previously reported and may be the result of obtaining patient information by means of a validated quality-of-life instrument by mail and not by personal interview. In multivariate analysis, only pretreatment potency, supplemental EBRT, and diabetes maintained statistical significance. Most patients with brachytherapy-induced ED responded favorably to sildenafil. Although the 6-year actuarial incidence of potency preservation was 39%, 52% of patients not receiving supplemental EBRT maintained potency. In addition, with pharmacologic support, 92% of patients maintained potency.

Sexual (dys)function after radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a review

PURPOSE

Prostate cancer has become the most common nonskin malignant neoplasm in older men in Western countries. As treatment efficacy has improved, issues related to posttherapy quality of life and sexual functioning have become more important.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

We discuss the various methods used to evaluate erectile and sexual dysfunction and the definition of potency. The etiologies of erectile dysfunction after external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy for prostate cancer are also reviewed. The literature is summarized, and comparative studies of radiation and surgery are surveyed briefly.

RESULTS

Rates of erectile dysfunction vary from 6 to 84% after external beam radiotherapy and from 0 to 51% after brachytherapy. In most of the studies, the analysis is retrospective, the definition of erectile dysfunction is not clear, only one question about sexual functioning is asked, and nonvalidated instruments are used. The etiology of erectile dysfunction after radiation for prostate cancer is not completely understood.

CONCLUSIONS

Because erectile function is only one component of sexual function, it is necessary to assess sexual desire, satisfaction, frequency of intercourse, and other such factors when evaluating the effects of therapy. Patients should be offered sexual counseling and informed about the availability of effective treatments for erectile dysfunction, such as sildenafil, intracavernosal injection, and vacuum devices.

Brachytherapy for carcinoma of the prostate: techniques, patient selection, and clinical outcomes

Brachytherapy for prostate carcinoma has developed as either low dose rate permanent implants or high dose rate afterloading. Both approaches offer unsurpassed dose escalation and, particularly with permanent implants, the convenience of a single outpatient treatment. These therapies have now entered the mainstream of treatment options and are in the refinement phase of development. Techniques of implantation, treatment planning approaches, innovative fractionation schemes, and appropriate patient selection are the subject of current investigation. Treatment results are available beyond 10 years and appear equivalent or superior to other modalities. Although short term morbidity can be significant with brachytherapy, most current series report low long-term urinary and rectal complications. Meaningful quality of life studies and randomized cooperative group trials are now underway and should help define the role of brachytherapy in the near future.

Quality of life in patients with prostate cancer

OBJECTIVES

Quality of life (QOL) issues are important for patients with prostate cancer because side effects from treatment are substantial, while the disease itself may be indolent. This article reviews prostate cancer QOL studies.

DATA SOURCES

Selected studies published on QOL in prostate cancer using validated patient-assessed tools from the last 5 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Prostate cancer treatments are associated with side effects: prostatectomy has more urinary and sexual side effects, while external radiation therapy has more bowel symptoms. Side effects are not highly correlated with overall QOL.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Patients must be made aware of potential gains in life expectancy as well as side effects of treatments to make informed decisions about treatment.

Five-year retrospective, multi-institutional pooled analysis of cancer-related outcomes after cryosurgical ablation of the prostate

OBJECTIVES

To define the potential role of cryosurgical ablation of the prostate (CSAP) as a treatment option for patients with localized prostate carcinoma (PCA), we performed a retrospective outcomes analysis of a large database of patients undergoing CSAP constructed from five institutions and compared this with matching outcomes from contemporary reports of patient outcomes after radiotherapy.

METHODS

A total of 975 patients who underwent CSAP as primary therapy from January 1993 to January 1998 with sufficient outcomes data available were identified. Patients were stratified into three groups on the basis of their clinical features. Biochemical-free survival (BFS), post-CSAP biopsy results, and post-CSAP morbidities were calculated and recorded.

RESULTS

The median follow-up for all patients was 24 months. The percentages of patients in the low, medium, and high-risk groups were 25%, 34%, and 41%, respectively. For prostate-specific antigen thresholds of less than 0.5 and less than 1.0 ng/mL, the 5-year actuarial BFS ranged from 36% to 61% and 45% to 76%, respectively, depending on the risk category. Overall, the positive biopsy rate was 18%. Morbidities included impotence in 93%, incontinence in 7.5%, rectourethral fistula in 0.5%, and transurethral resection of the prostate in 13% of patients (10% approved warming catheters versus 40% nonapproved).

CONCLUSIONS

For each risk group, the 5-year BFS and positive biopsy rate after CSAP was comparable to matching outcomes reported after radiotherapy. Morbidities also seemed comparable, with impotence rates higher and rectal injury rates lower after CSAP than after radiotherapy. These data indicate that CSAP can be performed with low morbidity and can produce cancer-related results comparable to those reported for patients undergoing radiotherapy.

The effect of disease and treatment-related factors on biopsy results after prostate brachytherapy: implications for treatment optimization

BACKGROUND

Posttreatment prostate biopsy is a method of assessing local control after irradiation for prostate carcinoma. An analysis of the effect of disease- and treatment-related factors on biopsy results after prostate brachytherapy was performed to aid in patient selection and treatment optimization.

METHODS

Two hundred sixty-eight patients underwent posttreatment prostate biopsy (6-8 cores) 2 years after brachytherapy alone without external beam irradiation. Follow-up ranged from 24 to 111 months (median, 43 months). Implants were performed using a real-time ultrasound guided technique with the isotopes (125)I in 186 and (103)Pd in 82 patients. Ninety-eight patients underwent hormonal therapy (HT) 3 months before and 2-3 months after implant. Implant dose was defined as the D90 (dose delivered to 90% of the gland from the dose volume histogram generated using 1-month computed tomography-based dosimetry).

RESULTS

Overall, 89% of patients (238 of 268) had negative biopsies. A positive biopsy was a predictor of biochemical failure. Patients with a positive biopsy had a 5-year freedom from biochemical failure of 40% versus 76% for patients with a negative biopsy (P = 0.0003). Univariate and multivariate analysis found that risk group, HT, and implant dose significantly affected biopsy outcome. Patients with low risk features (prostate specific antigen [PSA] </= 10 ng/mL; Gleason score </= 6; and classification T2a or lower) (n = 104) had a negative biopsy rate of 95% versus 85% for those with high risk features (PSA > 10 ng/mL or Gleason score >/= 7 or classification T2b or higher) (n = 164) (P = 0.008). Hormonal therapy was associated with a negative biopsy rate of 98% versus 84% for implant alone (P = 0.003). Patients receiving a high implant dose (D90 >/= 140 grays [Gy] for (125)I or >/= 100 Gy for (103)Pd) (n = 174) had a negative biopsy rate of 95% versus 77% for those receiving a low dose (D90 < 140 Gy for (125)I or < 100 Gy for (103)Pd) (n = 87; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Biopsy results support the use of brachytherapy without external beam irradiation for patients with low risk features and highlight the importance of achieving an adequate implant dose.

Biopsy results after real-time ultrasound-guided transperineal implants for stage T1-T2 prostate cancer

PURPOSE

To analyze the results of ultrasound-guided brachytherapy for stage T1-T2 prostate cancer, as shown by biopsy results.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The 268 patients (mean age 66 years; range 41-83 years) underwent real-time ultrasound-guided implantation of either iodine-125 (N = 186) or palladium-103 (N = 82) seeds. Of these patients, 96 (36%) received total androgen suppression for 3 months prior to and 3 months after implantation. Prostate biopsy was performed 24 months later, with the six to eight cores all being interpreted by the same pathologist. Each specimen was rated either positive or negative for cancer.

RESULTS

Of the 268 patients, 238 (89%) had a negative biopsy at 24 months. Among the patients receiving androgen suppression, 2% were found to have positive biopsies compared with 16% of those not given hormones (P = 0.004). Of the 155 patients with stage T1-T(2a) cancer, 6% had a positive biopsy compared with 19% of patients with stage T(2b) or T(2c) cancer (P = 0.001). In the entire series, the pretreatment serum concentration of prostate specific antigen, Gleason score, and isotope (I v Pd) were not significant predictors of a positive biopsy. However, among the 172 patients who did not receive androgen suppression, all three factors were predictive: 42% for Gleason score of 7 to 10 v 13% for Gleason score < or =6 (P = 0.001): 25% for pretreatment PSA concentration >10 ng/mL v 13% for PSA < or = 10 ng/mL (P = 0.05); and 27% for stage T(2b) or T(2c) v 9% for stage T1 or T(2a) (P = 0.001). The isotope used and the last PSA value were not significant predictors.

CONCLUSION

Brachytherapy provides excellent local control of prostate cancer, with 89% of patients having negative biopsies 2 years after treatment. High-risk patients may benefit from the addition of androgen suppression.

Minimally invasive treatment for localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate: review of 1048 patients treated with ultrasound-guided palladium-103 brachytherapy

PURPOSE

To assess the effectiveness of palladium-103 brachytherapy in stage T1 and T2 adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The charts of 1048 patients treated between 1991 and 1999 with transperineal realtime ultrasound-guided (103)Pd (Theraseed) implants were reviewed to assess the effects on serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) values and tissue (biopsy). Of the 1048 patients, 780 had sufficient data for this report. Preoperative total androgen blockade (leuprolide and flutamide) was used selectively in patients whose prostate size was >50 cc and those whose tumors had a Gleason score of >7.

RESULTS

At 1 year, 86% of the evaluable 766 patients had stable PSA concentration <1.5 ng/mL; at 5 years, 86% of the 166 patients with data available had stable PSA values <1.5 ng/mL. Biopsies were negative in 92% of the patients studied at 2 years. Patients with pretreatment PSA values <10 ng/mL had the best outcomes, and those treated with (103)Pd plus hormone ablation achieved PSA reduction more rapidly than those treated with radioisotope monotherapy. There was one disease-related death; the principal morbidity was short-term bladder and bowel irritation without permanent sequelae. Impotence occurred in approximately 15% of patients, and incontinence occurred in 5% of those who had undergone prior transurethral resection of the prostate.

CONCLUSION

The technique used in this study proved effective in reducing PSA concentrations to <1.5 ng/mL and in producing negative biopsies 1 and 2 years postoperatively. These results are comparable to those of external-beam radiation therapy and radical prostatectomy while demonstrating a significant reduction in morbidity.

American brachytherapy society recommendations for clinical implementation of NIST-1999 standards for (103)palladium brachytherapy. The clinical research committee of the American Brachytherapy Society

PURPOSE

Recent important developments in palladium-103 ((103)Pd) dosimetry mandate a reevaluation of (103)Pd brachytherapy prescribing practices.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The clinical research committee of the American Brachytherapy Society (ABS) convened a consensus session of brachytherapists and physicists to develop recommendations regarding future dose prescribing guidelines for National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST-1999) calibrated (103)Pd sources.

RESULTS

The ABS recommends that clinicians attempt to reproduce the implant doses delivered and reported in the literature through the past decade.

CONCLUSIONS

The following should be immediately implemented for (103)Pd dosimetry: 1) All practicing physicians, physicists, dosimetrists, and suppliers implement NIST-1999 air-kerma strength standard for (103)Pd brachytherapy. 2) All treatment planning systems and dose calculation algorithms must be updated to reflect new dose rate constants. The AAPM-recommended validated value for Theraseed model 200 is 0.665 cGy h(-1) U(-1). The dose rate constant for the Mentor MED3633 seed is currently reported as 0.68 cGy h(-1) U(-1). This latter value and the values for seeds from other manufacturers are awaiting independent confirmation. 3) Physicians who previously prescribed 115 Gy for (103)Pd monotherapy prostate implants should now prescribe 125 Gy. When using (103)Pd as a boost following 45 Gy of external beam irradiation, 100 Gy should be prescribed instead of the previous 90 Gy. It is critical that all three changes be implemented concurrently, because they are interdependent.

Prostate brachytherapy in patients with prostate volumes >/= 50 cm(3): dosimetic analysis of implant quality

OBJECTIVES

Permanent implantation with (125)I in patients with localized prostate cancer who have prostate volumes >/= 50 cm(3) is often technically difficult owing to pubic arch interference. The objective of this study was to describe dosimetry outcomes in a group of patients who were implanted using the real-time ultrasound-guided technique who had prostate volumes >/= 50 cm(3).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 331 patients received an (125)I prostate seed implant from January 1, 1995, to June 1, 1999, of whom 66 (20%) had prostate volumes >/= 50 cm(3) at the time of the procedure. The real-time seed implant method was used in all patients and consisted of intraoperative planning and real-time seed placement using a combination of axial and sagittal ultrasound imaging. Pubic arch interference was managed using an extended lithotomy position or by angling the tip of the ultrasound probe in an anterior direction. No preimplant pubic arch CT scan study was performed and no patients were excluded from treatment because of prostate size. Implant quality was assessed using CT-based dosimetry performed 1 month postimplant. Dose-volume histograms for the prostate, bladder, rectum, and urethra volumes were generated. The target dose for these implants was 160 Gy and an adequate implant was defined as the dose delivered to 90% of the prostate (D90) >/= 140 Gy. The dose delivered to 95% of the prostate (D95) and doses to 30% of the rectal (DRECT30) and urethral (DURE30) volumes were also calculated.

RESULTS

Prostate volumes in the 66 patients ranged from 50 to 93 cm(3) (median 57, mean 61 cm(3)). Total activity implanted was 27.8-89.1 mCi (median 57 mCi), with a range in activity per seed of 0.36-0.56 mCi (median 0.4 mCi). The prostate D90s and D95s ranged from 13,245 to 22,637 cGy (median 18,750) and 11,856 to 20,853 cGy (median 16,725), respectively. Only one patient (1.5%) had a D90 < 140 Gy. The DURE30 values ranged from 15,014 to 27,800 cGy (median 20,410) and the DRECT30 values were 3137-9910 cGy (median 5515).

CONCLUSION

Implantation of the large prostate can be accomplished using the real-time method. A total of 98.5% of the patients receive a high-quality implant. In addition, these implants should not put patients at increased risk for significant urinary and bowel complications because urethral and rectal doses can be kept at acceptable levels.

The American Brachytherapy Society recommendations for permanent prostate brachytherapy postimplant dosimetric analysis

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to establish guidelines for postimplant dosimetric analysis of permanent prostate brachytherapy.

METHODS

Members of the American Brachytherapy Society (ABS) with expertise in prostate dosimetry evaluation performed a literature review and supplemented with their clinical experience formulated guidelines for performing and analyzing postimplant dosimetry of permanent prostate brachytherapy.

RESULTS

The ABS recommends that postimplant dosimetry should be performed on all patients undergoing permanent prostate brachytherapy for optimal patient care. At present, computed tomography (CT)-based dosimetry is recommended, based on availability cost and the ability to image the prostate as well as the seeds. Additional plane radiographs should be obtained to verify the seed count. Until the ideal postoperative interval for CT scanning has been determined, each center should perform dosimetric evaluation of prostate implants at a consistent postoperative interval. This interval should be reported. Isodose displays should be obtained at 50%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 150%, and 200% of the prescription dose and displayed on multiple cross-sectional images of the prostate. A dose-volume histogram (DVH) of the prostate should be performed and the D90 (dose to 90% of the prostate gland) reported by all centers. Additionally, the D80, D100, the fractional V80, V90, V100, V150 and V200 (i.e., the percentage of prostate volume receiving 80%, 90%, 100%, 150%, and 200% of the prescribed dose, respectively), the rectal, and urethral doses should be reported and ultimately correlated with clinical outcome in the research environment. On-line real-time dosimetry, the effects of dose heterogeneity, and the effects of tissue heterogeneity need further investigation.

CONCLUSION

It is essential that postimplant dosimetry should be performed on all patients undergoing permanent prostate brachytherapy. Guidelines were established for the performance and analysis of such dosimetry.

Long-term complications with prostate implants: iodine-125 vs. palladium-103

The linear quadratic model predicts that the normal tissue biologically effective dose (BED) will be lower with palladium-103 (Pd-103) vs. iodine-125 (I-125) for the currently prescribed minimum tumor doses (MTD) used for I-125 (160 Gy) and Pd-103 (115 Gy) prostate cancer brachytherapy. The predicted BEDs for I-125 and Pd-103 suggest that the long-term complication rates should be lower with Pd-103 vs. I-125 in clinical practice. A review of 123 early stage T1c and T2 prostate cancer patients implanted at Yale University with I-125 (82 patients) or Pd-103 (41 patients) reveals a significantly lower overall complication rate with Pd-103 (0%) vs. I-125 (13%). Most important, the grade III-IV complication rate for Pd-103 was 0% vs. 6% for I-125. The 3-year actuarial probability of remaining free of a long-term complication was 100% for Pd-103 vs. 82% for I-125 (P<0.01). A review of the literature for 992 patients implanted with I-125 vs. 540 patients implanted with Pd-103 shows a consistently higher complication rate for I-125 vs. Pd-103. Assuming that the MTD for Pd-103 may be increased to produce an equivalent late-reacting normal tissue BED to that for I-125, then the radiobiology model predicts the log10 cell kill for Pd-103 implant will be greater than that of an I-125 implant for all tumor doubling times (high-grade tumors and low-grade tumors). The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of future research directions for prostate implants.

Permanent radioactive seed implantation in the treatment of prostate cancer

Prostate brachytherapy has come a long way in the last 15 years, from an open free-hand technique with which seed placement was often inaccurate to the highly technical and accurate procedure of today. It has become a viable treatment option for low-risk patients along with EBRT and prostatectomy. Its most promising use may be in combination with hormonal therapy and EBRT in moderate- to high-risk patients, for whom it may offer improved outcomes over standard single-modality therapies.

A comprehensive review of prostate cancer brachytherapy: defining an optimal technique

PURPOSE

A comprehensive review of prostate cancer brachytherapy literature was performed to determine if an optimal method of implantation could be identified, and to compare and contrast techniques currently in use.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

A MEDLINE search was conducted to obtain all articles in the English language on prostate cancer brachytherapy from 1985 through 1998. Articles were reviewed and grouped to determine the primary technique of implantation, the method or philosophy of source placement and/or dose specification, the technique to evaluate implant quality, overall treatment results (based upon pretreatment prostate specific antigen, (PSA), and biochemical control) and clinical, pathological or biochemical outcome based upon implant quality.

RESULTS

A total of 178 articles were identified in the MEDLINE database. Of these, 53 studies discussed evaluable techniques of implantation and were used for this analysis. Of these studies, 52% used preoperative ultrasound to determine the target volume to be implanted, 16% used preoperative computerized tomography (CT) scans, and 18% placed seeds with an open surgical technique. An additional 11% of studies placed seeds or needles under ultrasound guidance using interactive real-time dosimetry. The number and distribution of radioactive sources to be implanted or the method used to prescribe dose was determined using nomograms in 27% of studies, a least squares optimization technique in 11%, or not stated in 35%. In the remaining 26%, sources were described as either uniformly, differentially, or peripherally placed in the gland. To evaluate implant quality, 28% of studies calculated some type of dose-volume histogram, 21% calculated the matched peripheral dose, 19% the minimum peripheral dose, 14% used some type of CT-based qualitative review and, in 18% of studies, no implant quality evaluation was mentioned. Six studies correlated outcome with implant dose. One study showed an association of implant dose with the achievement of a PSA nadir < or = 0.5. Two studies showed an improvement in biochemical control with a D90 (dose to 90% of the prostate volume) of 120 to 140 Gy or higher, and 2 additional studies found an association of clinical outcome with implant dose. One study correlated implant quality with biopsy results. Of the articles, 33 discussed evaluable treatment results, but only 16 reported findings based upon pretreatment PSA and biochemical control. Three- to 5-year biochemical control rates ranged from 48% to 100% for pretreatment PSAs < or = 4, 55% to 90% for PSAs between 4 and 10, 30% to 89% for PSAs > 10, < or = 20 and < 10% to 100% for PSAs > 20. Due to substantial differences in patient selection criteria (e.g., median Gleason score, clinical stage, pretreatment PSA), number of patients treated, median follow-up, definitions of biochemical control, and time points for analysis, no single technique consistently produced superior results.

CONCLUSIONS

Our comprehensive review of prostate cancer brachytherapy literature failed to identify an optimal treatment approach when studies were analyzed for treatment outcome based upon pretreatment PSA and biochemical control. Although several well-designed studies showed an improvement in outcome with total dose or implant quality, the numerous techniques for implantation and the varied and inconsistent methods to specify dose or evaluate implant quality suggest that standardized protocols should be developed to objectively evaluate this treatment approach. These protocols have recently been suggested and, when implemented, should significantly improve the reporting of treatment data and, ultimately, the efficacy of prostate brachytherapy.

Efficacy of sildenafil citrate in prostate brachytherapy patients with erectile dysfunction

OBJECTIVES

To ascertain the efficacy of sildenafil citrate (Viagra) in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) either before or after prostate brachytherapy by an open-label, nonrandomized study.

METHODS

Sixty-two patients who underwent prostate brachytherapy between March 1995 and July 1998, had ED either before or after brachytherapy, and were interested in treatment with sildenafil comprised the patient population. Clinical and treatment parameters evaluated for medication efficacy included patient age at brachytherapy and at medication administration, hypertension, diabetes, smoking history, onset of ED, potency status before implant, frequency of intercourse before brachytherapy (if potent), use of neoadjuvant hormonal manipulation, use of moderate dose external beam radiation therapy before implantation, choice of isotope, V100 (the percentage of the prostate volume receiving at least 100% of the prescribed minimal peripheral dose), and sildenafil dose.

RESULTS

Fifty (80.6%) of 62 patients responded favorably to sildenafil. None of the treatment parameters predicted medication failure, and among the clinical parameters, only diabetes predicted failure (3 of 5) and only with borderline statistical validity (P = 0.046).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest brachytherapy-induced impotence is as amenable to sildenafil treatment as ED from other causes. In addition, our 80.6% success rate is comparable to reported results for patients who underwent bilateral nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy and significantly better than patients who underwent unilateral nerve-sparing or non-nerve-sparing approaches.