Acute urinary toxicity following transperineal prostate brachytherapy using a modified Quimby loading method

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Oncology
• Radiation Oncology

Background:

• Prostate cancer treatment often involves brachytherapy.
• Assessing treatment-related toxicity is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate acute urinary toxicity after transperineal prostate brachytherapy.
• To identify factors associated with increased urinary morbidity.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 139 patients treated with brachytherapy.
• Modified Quimby loading method used for seed placement.
• Toxicity graded using a modified RTOG scale during follow-up.

Main Results:

• 88% of patients experienced acute urinary toxicity.
• Higher rates of grade 3 toxicity and prolonged catheterization observed in patients with larger prostates and more seeds.
• Brachytherapy alone and larger prostate volumes (>30 cc) were associated with increased toxicity.

Conclusions:

• Transperineal prostate brachytherapy results in a high incidence of acute urinary toxicity.
• Most toxicity is mild to moderate, but prolonged catheterization can occur.
• Patient selection and treatment planning are key to managing toxicity.