Dose-escalated radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer improves disease control but is also associated with worse rectal toxicity.
A spacer placed between the prostate and rectum can be used to displace the anterior rectal wall outside of the high-dose radiation regions and potentially minimize radiation-induced rectal toxicity. This systematic review focuses on the published data regarding the different types of commercially available prostate-rectum spacers. Dosimetric results and preliminary clinical data using prostate-rectum spacers in patients with localized prostate cancer treated by curative radiation therapy are compared and discussed.
Written by:
Mok G, Benz E, Vallee JP, Miralbell R, Zilli T. Are you the author?
Department of Radiation Oncology, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Intégré de Cancérologie de Laval, Centre de Santé et de Services Sociaux de Laval, Laval, Québec, Canada; Department of Radiology, Radiation Oncology, and Nuclear Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Radiology, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland.
Reference: Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2014 Oct 1;90(2):278-288.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2014.06.044
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 25304788