How Has Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy Changed in Italy between 2004 and 2011? An Analysis of the National Patterns-Of-Practice (POP) Database by the Uro-Oncology Study Group of the Italian Society of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO)

Simple Summary

This is a safety and efficacy analysis from a very large dataset of patients affected by localized prostate cancer having received radiotherapy with or without concomitant androgen deprivation therapy in twelve academic and non-academic Italian Institutions. The aim of this retrospective "real life" study was to provide additional data on clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, radiation therapy management and toxicity as collected within the framework of POP III. Though the usual limitations for a retrospective analysis apply, it nevertheless may expand the current knowledge in this area showing the progress of radiation therapy techniques and clinical outcomes in the period between 2004 and 2011 after a significant period of follow up.

Abstract

Background and purpose: Two previous “Patterns Of Practice” surveys (POP I and POP II), including more than 4000 patients affected by prostate cancer treated with radical external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) between 1980 and 2003, established a “benchmark” Italian data source for prostate cancer radiotherapy. This report (POP III) updates the previous studies. Methods: Data on clinical management and outcome of 2525 prostate cancer patients treated by EBRT from 2004 to 2011 were collected and compared with POP II and, when feasible, also with POP I. This report provides data on clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, radiation therapy management, and toxicity as collected within the framework of POP III. Results: More than 50% of POP III patients were classified as low or intermediate risk using D’Amico risk categories as in POP II; 46% were classified as ISUP grade group 1. CT scan, bone scan, and endorectal ultrasound were less frequently prescribed. Dose-escalated radiotherapy (RT), intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), image guided radiotherapy (IGRT), and hypofractionated RT were more frequently offered during the study period. Treatment was commonly well tolerated. Acute toxicity improved compared to the previous series; late toxicity was influenced by prescribed dose and treatment technique. Five-year overall survival, biochemical relapse free survival (BRFS), and disease specific survival were similar to those of the previous series (POP II). BRFS was better in intermediate- and high-risk patients treated with ≥ 76 Gy. Conclusions: This report highlights the improvements in radiotherapy planning and dose delivery among Italian Centers in the 2004–2011 period. Dose-escalated treatments resulted in better biochemical control with a reduction in acute toxicity and higher but acceptable late toxicity, as not yet comprehensively associated with IMRT/IGRT. CTV-PTV margins >8 mm were associated with increased toxicity, again suggesting that IGRT—allowing for tighter margins—would reduce toxicity for dose escalated RT. These conclusions confirm the data obtained from randomized controlled studies.

Treatment paths for localised prostate cancer in Italy: The results of a multidisciplinary, observational, prospective study (Pros-IT CNR)

Background

There are several treatments available to newly diagnosed prostate cancer (PCA) patients. Although surgery and radiotherapy (RT) with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) are widely adopted treatment options for localized PCA together with active surveillance (AS), there is no consensus nor randomised trials on treatment selection, prospective quality of life (QOL), along with toxicity outcomes and according to treatment modality in the Italian population. The current study aimed to describe clinical-therapeutic features and QOL at PCA diagnosis, according to different treatment patterns in a large prospective, Italian population, enrolled in the Pros-IT CNR study.

Methods

The Pros-IT CNR is an on-going national, multicenter, observational, prospective study on patients affected by PCA who have been referred by 97 Italian Urology, Radiation Oncology and Medical Oncology facilities participating in the project. The possible relationships between the treatment patterns reported in the 6 month follow-up case report form and patients’ features at diagnosis were evaluated using exploratory multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and other data analysis method.

Results

At diagnosis, surgery and AS patients were significantly younger, had fewer comorbidities, lower PSA levels and Gleason Score (GS) values; they were also diagnosed at an earlier stage of disease with respect to the RT or ADT patients who showed significantly worse QoL scores at the time of diagnosis.

Conclusions

An analysis of the data collected at baseline and 6 months later uncovered substantial differences in ages, comorbidities, clinical and QOL features in the various treatment groups. These findings do not fully reflect the current PCA treatment guidelines and suggest the need for a multidisciplinary consensus guideline to ameliorate both the counselling and treatments of PCA patients.

Role of melatonin in mitigating chemotherapy-induced testicular dysfunction in Wistar rats

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer affecting men of reproductive age, and its incidence is increasing steadily. A regimen of cisplatin (P), vinblastin (V) and bleomycin (B) (PVB) is the standard chemotherapy for testicular cancer. Though PVB-based chemotherapy has been widely used against germ cell tumors, it is associated with induction of oxidative toxicity and a transient or permanent loss of fertility. However, the mechanism of action of PVB on the testis is not thoroughly elucidated. Using a rat model, we investigated the persistence of the effects of PVB on steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis and testicular oxidative status and architecture. Further, we have also studied whether administration of melatonin has any protective effect on testicular physiology in the PVB-treated rats, since melatonin exerts influence on the antioxidant defense system. The body weight of the PVB-treated rats did not show significant change as compared with the control group. Significant decrease in the weight of the testis was observed with a reduction in volume in the PVB-treated rats. Administration of PVB caused a reduction in the testicular steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis. The circulatory levels of testosterone were also significantly reduced with an elevation of FSH and LH in the PVB-treated rats. Testicular architecture was severely affected with a reduction in seminiferous tubule diameter and epithelial height. The activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were decreased while the levels of lipid peroxidation increased significantly in the testis of the PVB-treated rats indicating depletion of antioxidant defence system and elevation of oxidative stress. Co-administration of melatonin mitigated these changes in the PVB-treated rats.

Consensus and differences in primary radiotherapy for localized and locally advanced prostate cancer in Switzerland: A survey on patterns of practice

INTRODUCTION

External beam radiotherapy (EBRT), with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), is an established treatment option for nonmetastatic prostate cancer. Despite high-level evidence from several randomized trials, risk group stratification and treatment recommendations vary due to contradictory or inconclusive data, particularly with regard to EBRT dose prescription and ADT duration. Our aim was to investigate current patterns of practice in primary EBRT for prostate cancer in Switzerland.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Treatment recommendations on EBRT and ADT for localized and locally advanced prostate cancer were collected from 23 Swiss radiation oncology centers. Written recommendations were converted into center-specific decision trees, and analyzed for consensus and differences using a dedicated software tool. Additionally, specific radiotherapy planning and delivery techniques from the participating centers were assessed.

RESULTS

The most commonly prescribed radiation dose was 78 Gy (range 70-80 Gy) across all risk groups. ADT was recommended for intermediate-risk patients for 6 months in over 80 % of the centers, and for high-risk patients for 2 or 3 years in over 90 % of centers. For recommendations on combined EBRT and ADT treatment, consensus levels did not exceed 39 % in any clinical scenario. Arc-based intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is implemented for routine prostate cancer radiotherapy by 96 % of the centers.

CONCLUSION

Among Swiss radiation oncology centers, considerable ranges of radiotherapy dose and ADT duration are routinely offered for localized and locally advanced prostate cancer. In the vast majority of cases, doses and durations are within the range of those described in current evidence-based guidelines.

Could machine learning improve the prediction of pelvic nodal status of prostate cancer patients? Preliminary results of a pilot study

We tested and compared performances of Roach formula, Partin tables and of three Machine Learning (ML) based algorithms based on decision trees in identifying N+ prostate cancer (PC). 1,555 cN0 and 50 cN+ PC were analyzed. Results were also verified on an independent population of 204 operated cN0 patients, with a known pN status (187 pN0, 17 pN1 patients). ML performed better, also when tested on the surgical population, with accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity ranging between 48-86%, 35-91%, and 17-79%, respectively. ML potentially allows better prediction of the nodal status of PC, potentially allowing a better tailoring of pelvic irradiation.

SBRT and extreme hypofractionation: A new era in prostate cancer treatments?

AIM

Radiation therapy (RT) is a standard therapeutic option for prostate cancer (PC). In the last decades, several innovative technology applications have been introduced. 3-Dimensional conformal RT, volumetric/rotational intensity modulated RT associated or not with image-guided RT, are becoming largely diffused in the treatment of PC.

BACKGROUND

Considering that PC could have a low α/β ratio, similar to late-reacting normal tissues, it could also be highly responsive to fraction size. Thus, the reduction of the number of fractions and the increase of the dose/fraction seem to be reasonable choices in the treatment of this cancer. This review reported the technology evolution, the radiobiological and the clinical data about the role of extreme hypofractionated RT in the treatment approach of PC patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Medline search and analysis of published studies containing key words: prostate cancer, radiotherapy, stereotactic radiotherapy.

RESULTS

Recent technological developments, combined with an improved knowledge of the radiobiological models in favor of a high sensitivity of PC to larger fraction sizes are opening a new scenario in its treatment, reporting favorable efficacy and acceptable toxicity, despite short follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Thus, thanks to technological improvement and the recent radiobiological data, "extreme hypofractionated RT" has been strongly introduced in the last years as a potential solid treatment option for PC.