Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 5, 2025
Proton Therapy Delivery and Its Clinical Application in Select Solid Tumor Malignancies
Published on: February 6, 2019
High-dose-rate brachytherapy with surface applicator in penile cancer
Simonetta Saldi1, Claudio Zucchetti2, Christian Paolo Luca Fulcheri2
1Section of Radiation Oncology, Perugia General Hospital, Perugia, Italy.
Purpose:
An alternative to surgery for penile cancer is radiation therapy which is administered with external beam techniques and/or brachytherapy (BT) either interstitial or using a surface applicator. Here we report our experience in penile cancer patients treated with high-dose-rate (HDR)-BT with the surface technique, analyzing dosimetric parameters and clinical outcomes.
Methods And Materials:
Between June 2016 and December 2019, 7 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis received HDR-BT by means of customized applicators that were constructed using a 3D printer or thermoplastic mask. The total dose was 57 Gy in 19 fractions.
Results:
Median clinical target volume percentage receiving 95%, 125%, and 150% of the prescribed dose were 93.1% (range 92.2-98.5), 12% (range 7.4-32.2), and 0.24% (range 0-10.8), respectively. Median urethral volumes receiving 90% and 115% of the prescribed dose were 40.2% (range 21.0-83.8) and 0% (range 0-1), respectively. All patients achieved complete remission. No patient developed G3 or G4 acute or late toxicities. No patient experienced urethral stenosis.
Conclusions:
Surface HDR-BT in penile cancer is feasible and is associated with a high tolerance profile and good outcomes.
