PURPOSE: To prospectively analyse quality of life (QoL) in a cohort of prostate cancer patients undergoing treatment with a course of hypofractionated image-guided radiotherapy (hypo-IGRT).
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between 8/2006 and 1/2011, 337 cT1-T2N0M0 prostate cancer patients (median age 73 years) were eligible for this prospective longitudinal study on hypo-IGRT (70.2Gy/26 fractions), employing one out of 3 IGRT modalities (transabdominal ultrasound, X-Ray, cone-beam computed tomography) available at our Radiation Oncology Department. Patients filled in 4 questionnaires before treatment, and at 6, 12 and 24 months afterwards: the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5), the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) prostate-cancer-specific QLQ-PR25 and QLQ-C30.
RESULTS: Patients follow-up was updated to at least last questionnaire time point (median follow-up 19 months). Significant deterioration in erectile function (IIEF-5) was registered over time only in the patients without androgen deprivation (p=0.0002). No change over time was observed in urinary symptoms-related QoL at the QLQ-PR25 and IPSS questionnaires. Slight deterioration in the QLQ-PR25 bowel symptoms-related QoL was observed (p=0.02). Overall, the QLQ-C30 Global Health Status was found to be improved over time (p=0.03) and significantly correlated at univariate analysis to the maximum RTOG/EORTC urinary and bowel late toxicity score after radiotherapy.
CONCLUSIONS: The regimen of hypo-IGRT with multiple imaging modalities adopted in our Radiation Oncology Department for localised prostate cancer might be a successful strategy for dose escalation with limited impact on different aspects of QoL over time.
Written by:
Jereczek-Fossa BA, Santoro L, Zerini D, Fodor C, Vischioni B, Dispinzieri M, Bossi-Zanetti I, Gherardi F, Bonora M, Caputo M, Vavassori A, Cambria R, Garibaldi C, Cattani F, Matei DV, Musi G, De Cobelli O, Orecchia R. Are you the author?
Dept. of Radiation Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy; University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Reference: J Urol. 2013 Jan 9. pii: S0022-5347(13)00017-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2013.01.005
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 23313200
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