Patient-reported Outcomes After Prostate Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy at 5 yr: Results from the PACE-B Trial

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) complement oncological endpoints by capturing what matters most to patients. The TrueNTH surgical collaboration presented 1-yr PROMs following robotic prostatectomy using accessible visual formats. We present 5-yr PROMs from the phase 3, international PACE-B trial, which randomised men with localised prostate cancer to stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) or conventionally fractionated radiotherapy (CRT). PROMs are reported from baseline to 5 yr and presented using waffle charts to enable visual alignment with surgical outcomes. At 5 yr, urinary incontinence outcomes were favourable and comparable between SBRT and CRT. Leak-free rates were 64% (164/258) for SBRT and 69% (172/249) for CRT, pad-free rates were 91% (233/257) for SBRT and 90% (225/250) for CRT, and moderate or big urinary leakage problems were reported by only 6% (15/250) for SBRT and 4% (9/244) for CRT. Intercourse-adequate erections declined in both groups from baseline to 5 yr: from 35% (133/374) to 17% (43/250) for SBRT, and from 40% (157/391) to 20% (47/240) for CRT. Moderate or big sexual problems increased in both groups, from 24% (87/367) to 31% (74/242) for SBRT and from 22% (85/382) to 32% (77/238) for CRT. Bowel effects were low and comparable between groups, with moderate or big bowel problems reported by 2% (7/397) at baseline and 5% (12/265) for SBRT at 5 yr, and 2% (9/415) at baseline and 5% (13/253) for CRT at 5 yr. Stool incontinence as a moderate or big problem rose from <1% (1/374) to 2% (4/240) in the SBRT group and from <1% (1/395) to 3% (7/238) in the CRT group.