Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Intermediate-risk Prostate Cancer With VMAT and Real-time Electromagnetic Tracking: A Phase II Study

Photon vs proton hypofractionation in prostate cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

High-level evidence on hypofractionated proton therapy (PT) for localized and locally advanced prostate cancer (PCa) patients is currently missing. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic literature review to compare the toxicity and effectiveness of curative radiotherapy with photon therapy (XRT) or PT in PCa.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched up to April 2022. Men with a diagnosis of PCa who underwent curative hypofractionated RT treatment (PT or XRT) were included. Risk of grade (G) ≥ 2 acute and late genitourinary (GU) OR gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity were the primary outcomes of interest. Secondary outcomes were five-year biochemical relapse-free survival (b-RFS), clinical relapse-free, distant metastasis-free, and prostate cancer-specific survival. Heterogeneity between study-specific estimates was assessed using Chi-square statistics and measured with the I2 index (heterogeneity measure across studies).

RESULTS

A total of 230 studies matched inclusion criteria and, due to overlapped populations, 160 were included in the present analysis. Significant lower rates of G ≥ 2 acute GI incidence (2 % vs 7 %) and improved 5-year biochemical relapse-free survival (95 % vs 91 %) were observed in the PT arm compared to XRT. PT benefits in 5-year biochemical relapse-free survival were maintained for the moderate hypofractionated arm (p-value 0.0122) and among patients in intermediate and low-risk classes (p-values < 0.0001 and 0.0368, respectively). No statistically relevant differences were found for the other considered outcomes.

CONCLUSION

The present study supports that PT is safe and effective for localized PCa treatment, however, more data from RCTs are needed to draw solid evidence in this setting and further effort must be made to identify the patient subgroups that could benefit the most from PT.

Long term update on toxicity and survival of a phase II trial of linac-based stereotactic body radiation therapy for low-intermediate risk prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

In 2016 we published a phase II study exploring safety and efficacy of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) delivered with Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) and Flattening Filter Free (FFF) beams techniques in prostate cancer (PC) patients. We present herein the updated results on late toxicity and long-term survival.

METHODS

Patients enrolled in the study had a biopsy-confirmed localized PC and the features of a low- or intermediate-risk disease (National Comprehensive Network Criteria). The radiotherapy (RT) schedule consisted of 35 Gy delivered in five fractions every other day. Toxicities were registered according to the common toxicity adverse events v4.0. Biochemical recurrence was defined as an increase of prostate specific antigen after nadir, confirmed at least once. Local recurrence (LR) and distant metastases were detected either with Choline- or PSMA-PET/CT scans. Kaplan-Meier curves for Biochemical Recurrence-Free Survival (BFS), Local Control (LC), Distant Metastasis Free Survival (DMFS) and Cancer Specific Survival, were calculated by using MedCalc.

RESULTS

Ninety patients were submitted to SBRT between February 2012 and March 2015. Fifty-eight patients (64.5%) had a Gleason Score of 6, while 32 (35.5%) had a Gleason Score of 7. A late grade 1 Genito-Urinary toxicity was observed in 54.5% of patients while a grade 2 in 3.3%. A late Gastro-intestinal grade 1 toxicity was reported in 18.9% of patients, while a grade 2 in 2.2%. Erectile dysfunction was reported by 13% of patients No heavier toxicities were observed. At a median follow-up of 102 months, 5- and 8-year BFS were 93.0% and 84.4% respectively, 5- and 8-year LC were 95.2% and 87.0% respectively, 5- and 8-year DMFS were 95.3% and 88.4%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This long-term update confirms that SBRT is a valid therapeutic strategy for low-intermediate risk PC. RT with VMAT and FFF warrants optimal results in terms of toxicity and disease control.

Magnetic Resonance-Guided Prostate Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy With Daily Online Plan Adaptation: Results of a Prospective Phase 1 Trial and Supplemental Cohort

Purpose

Stereotactic magnetic resonance (MR)-guided adaptive radiation therapy (SMART) for prostate cancer allows for MR-based contouring, real-time MR motion management, and daily plan adaptation. The clinical and dosimetric benefits associated with prostate SMART remain largely unknown.

Methods and Materials

A phase 1 trial of prostate SMART was conducted with primary endpoints of safety and feasibility. An additional cohort of patients similarly treated with prostate SMART were included in the analysis. SMART was delivered to 36.25 Gy in 5 fractions to the prostate ± seminal vesicles using the MRIdian linear accelerator system (ViewRay, Inc). Rates of urinary and gastrointestinal toxic effects and patient-reported outcome measures were assessed. Dosimetric analyses were conducted to evaluate the specific benefits of daily plan adaptation.

Results

The cohort included 22 patients (n = 10 phase 1, n = 12 supplemental) treated in 110 fractions. Median follow-up was 7.9 months. Acute grade 2 urinary and gastrointestinal toxic effects were observed in 22.7% and 4.5%, respectively, and 4.5% and 0%, respectively, at last follow-up. No grade 3+ events were observed. Expanded Prostate Cancer Index-26 urinary obstructive scores decreased during SMART (mean, 9.3 points; P = .03) and returned to baseline by 3 months. No other significant changes in patient-reported outcome measures were observed. One-hundred percent of fractions required plan adaptation owing to exceeding organ-at-risk metrics (68%) or suboptimal target coverage (33%) resulting from anatomic changes. Minimum acceptable planning target volume, rectal, bladder, and urethra/bladder neck metrics were violated in 24%, 20%, 24%, and 33% of predicted plans, respectively; 0% of reoptimized plans violated metrics. Underlying causes for deficient dosimetry before reoptimization included changes in bladder filling, seminal vesicle position, prostate volume (median 4.7% increase by fraction 3; range, 0%-56%), and hotspots shifting into urethra/bladder neck.

Conclusions

Prostate SMART results in low risk of acute toxic effects with improvements in target and organ-at-risk dosimetry. The clinical benefits resulting from daily plan adaptation, including urethra/bladder neck protection, warrant further investigation.

Radiation therapy for prostate cancer: What's the best in 2021

Radiotherapy is highly involved in the management of prostate cancer. Its features and potential applications experienced a radical evolution over last decades, as they are associated to the continuous evolution of available technology and current oncological innovations. Some application of radiotherapy like brachytherapy have been recently enriched by innovative features and multidisciplinary dedications. In this report we aim to put some questions regarding the following issues regarding multiple aspects of modern application of radiation oncology: the current application of radiation oncology; the modern role of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for both the management of primary lesions and for lymph-nodal recurrence; the management of the oligometastatic presentations; the role of brachytherapy; the aid played by the application of the organ at risk spacer (spacer OAR), fiducial markers, electromagnetic tracking systems and on-line Magnetic Resonance guided radiotherapy (MRgRT), and the role of the new opportunity represented by radiomic analysis.

Radiation Dose to the Intraprostatic Urethra Correlates Strongly With Urinary Toxicity After Prostate Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy: A Combined Analysis of 23 Prospective Clinical Trials

PURPOSE

Clinical trials assessing evaluation prostate stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) have used a wide range of allowed doses to the intraprostatic urethra, but the relationship between urethral dose and urinary toxicity has not been thoroughly evaluated. The goal of this study was to characterize urinary toxicity outcomes according to urethral dose administered during prostate SBRT.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The MEDLINE (PubMed) database was searched for published prospective studies of prostate SBRT through August 2020 that documented a maximum urethral dose metric (MUDM). Reported acute and late urinary toxicity rates were collected. Logistic regression and weighted Pearson correlation models were used to assess associations between urinary toxicity rates and MUDM.

RESULTS

Twenty-three unique studies (n = 2232 patients) met the inclusion criteria and included a wide range of MUDMs (equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions [EQD₂]: 69-141.75 Gy; α/β = 3 Gy). The median follow-up ranged from 3 to 67 months (median, 32 months). On logistic regression analysis, the MUDM EQD₂ was significantly associated with multiple urinary toxicity endpoints, including acute grade (G) 2+ (odds ratio [OR], 1.02; P < .001), late G2+ (OR, 1.03; P < .0001), and late G3+ (OR, 1.04; P = .003) urinary toxicity. On weighted Pearson correlation analysis, the MUDM was more closely associated with all evaluated urinary toxicity endpoints than prescription dose, including acute G2+ (r = 0.51; P = .02), late G2+ (r = 0.9; P < .0001), and late G3+ toxicity (r = 0.7; P = .003). Multivariate analysis accounting for age, prostate size, bladder dosimetry, and baseline urinary function confirmed associations between urinary outcomes and MUDM. Within the studied dose range, each increase of 1 Gy to the MUDM corresponded to a 0.8% and 1.0% increase in acute G2+ and late G2+ toxicity, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Radiation dose to the urethra correlates closely with urinary toxicity in patients with prostate cancer treated with SBRT. Attention should be paid to the urethral dose when delivering prostate SBRT to high doses, and approaches for urethral dose reduction warrant further investigation.

A Ten-year-long Update on Radiation Proctitis Among Prostate Cancer Patients Treated With Curative External Beam Radiotherapy

This comprehensive synopsis summarizes the most relevant information obtained from a systematic analysis of studies of the last decade on radiation proctitis, one of the most feared radioinduced side effects among prostate cancer patients treated with curative external beam radiotherapy. The present review provides a useful support to radiation oncologists for limiting the onset or improving the treatment of radiation proctitis. This work shows that the past decade was a harbinger of significant new evidence in technological advances and technical tricks to avoid radiation proctitis, in addition to dosimetric perspectives and goals, understanding of pathogenesis, diagnostic work-up and treatment. We believe that a well-rounded knowledge of such an issue is fundamental for its appropriate management.