ABSTRACT
Combination high dose rate brachytherapy (HDRB) and external beam radiation therapy is technically and clinically feasible as definitive treatment for localized prostate cancer. We report the first large Australian experience using this technique of radiation dose escalation in 82 patients with intermediate- and high-risk disease. With a median follow up of 3 years (156 weeks), complications were low and overall prostate-specific antigen progression-free survival was 91% using the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology consensus definition. The delivery of hypofractionated radiation through the HDRB component shortens overall treatment time and is both biologically and logistically advantageous. As a radiation boost strategy, HDRB is easy to learn and could be introduced into most facilities with brachytherapy capability.
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/radiotherapy , Brachytherapy/methods , Iridium Radioisotopes/therapeutic use , Prostatic Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Radiotherapy, Conformal/methods , Adult , Aged , Brachytherapy/adverse effects , Erectile Dysfunction/etiology , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prostate-Specific Antigen/blood , Radiotherapy Dosage , Retrospective Studies , Treatment OutcomeSubject(s)
Adenosarcoma/chemically induced , Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/adverse effects , Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy , Endometrial Neoplasms/chemically induced , Neoplasms, Second Primary/chemically induced , Tamoxifen/adverse effects , Adenosarcoma/epidemiology , Adenosarcoma/pathology , Aged , Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/therapeutic use , Chemotherapy, Adjuvant , Endometrial Neoplasms/epidemiology , Endometrial Neoplasms/pathology , Endometrium/pathology , Female , Humans , Neoplasms, Second Primary/epidemiology , Neoplasms, Second Primary/pathology , Tamoxifen/therapeutic useABSTRACT
Shakespeare TP, Ferrier AJ, Holecek MJ, Jagavkar RS, Stevens MJ. Difficulties using the Franco-Italian Glossary in assessing toxicity of cervical cancer treatment. Int J Gynecol Cancer 1998; 8: 51-55 We assessed the toxicities of patients treated for cervical cancer using the revised Franco-Italian Glossary (FIG). A total of 69 separate complications were appraised in 47 patients; however, only 43.5% of these side-effects could be accurately graded. In all, 56.5% of toxicities could not be scored for a variety of reasons: (1) the FIG does not account for all possible complications of cervical cancer treatment; (2) some important toxicities are regarded as too minor to be graded; (3) subjective assessment of some side-effects did not allow consensus to be reached when assigning a grade; (4) we could not accurately score toxicities using the FIG in a retrospective manner. Previous studies utilizing the FIG retrospectively have noted few problems with its use, with no indication of the number of toxicities unable to be graded. In view of the inability to grade the majority of complications in the present study in an accurate manner, we conclude that the revised FIG requires detailed data that are best collected prospectively and that several minor modifications of the glossary should be considered. Results of studies using the glossary retrospectively should be viewed with caution.
