Salvage Prostate Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy After Definitive Cryoablation

Whole gland cryoablation is a guideline-approved definitive treatment for localized prostate cancer, and is being explored for partial gland ablation. However, there is limited data regarding management of cryoablation failures. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a well-established method of primary treatment for prostate cancer. Here we review salvage SBRT after cryoablation failures.

A large database of patients treated with definitive SBRT was interrogated to identify those who underwent primary cryoablation. All patients were determined to have progressive disease based on a rising prostate specific antigen and/or postcryoablation biopsy. All patients were treated with SBRT over 5 treatment fractions using a robotic radiosurgical platform. Baseline cryoablation characteristics and pre- and posttreatment Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite questionnaires were analyzed. Acute and late toxicity was evaluated using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5.0. Cancer outcomes after salvage SBRT were stratified by disease and treatment characteristics.

A total of 51 patients were identified who underwent cryoablation followed by salvage SBRT. The majority (47%) were found to have intermediate-risk disease at the time of SBRT salvage and most commonly were treated with 3500 cGy in 5 fractions to the prostate and seminal vesicles. Only 1 grade 3+ toxicity was identified. Patient-reported quality of life metrics after SBRT salvage followed prior patterns observed in the de novo SBRT setting. With a median follow-up of 40 months, 76% of the cohort demonstrated disease control. Median time to prostate cancer recurrence was 57.5 months, and recurrence was predominantly seen in patients with underlying high-risk disease.

This is the largest cohort of patients treated with any radiation therapy salvage after cryoablation and the first institution to report SBRT as a modality of salvage. Salvage SBRT after cryoablation results in low rates of high-grade toxicity, acceptable changes in patient-reported quality of life, and durable rates of long-term oncologic control.