Purpose: A Phase II dose escalation study has been undertaken to evaluate high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDRBT) monotherapy for prostate cancer.
Methods and materials: A total of 110 patients have been entered, all with locally advanced cancer. Three dose levels have been used; 34 Gy in four fractions, 36 Gy in four fractions, and 31.5 Gy in three fractions. These equate to 226Gy(1.5), 252Gy(1.5), and 252Gy(1.5), respectively. Thirty patients have received 34 Gy, 25 received 36 Gy, and 55 patients received 31.5 Gy. Acute and late toxicity was analyzed using the International Prostate Symptom Score, and urologic and rectal events were scored using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/Common Terminology Criteria scoring systems.
Results: Seven patients required urethral catheterization at 2 weeks; 3 receiving 34 Gy, 1 receiving 36 Gy, and 3 receiving 31.5 Gy. Only 3 patients remained catheterized at 12 weeks. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 1 and 2 gastrointestinal toxicity at 2 weeks was seen in 61%, 68%, and 77%, respectively. Grade 3 bladder toxicity was seen in 2 patients at 6 months, 1 each from the 36 Gy and 31.5 Gy arms. One patient from the 31.5-Gy cohort reported Grade 2 bowel toxicity at 6 months. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA), stratified for androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and no-ADT patients ranged from 16.1-22.9 microg/L and 11.1-12.5 microg/L, respectively. This fell at 12 months to 0.2-0.6 microg/L and 0.5-1.4 microg/L, respectively. No PSA relapses have yet been seen with a median follow-up of 30 months (34 Gy), 18 months (36 Gy), and 11.8 months (31.5 Gy).
Conclusions: Early results suggest an excellent biochemical response with no differences seen in acute and late toxicity between doses of 34 Gy/four fractions, 36 Gy/four fractions, or 31.5 Gy/three fractions.