Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Organ-confined Prostate Cancer: Early Toxicity and Quality of Life Outcomes from a Multi-institutional Trial

Simultaneous Focal Boost With Stereotactic Radiation Therapy for Localized Intermediate- to High-Risk Prostate Cancer: Primary Outcomes of the SPARC Phase 2 Trial

PURPOSE

Dose-escalated radiation therapy is associated with better biochemical control at the expense of toxicity. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) with dose escalation to the dominant intraprostatic lesion (DIL) provides a logical approach to improve outcomes in high-risk disease while limiting toxicity. This study evaluated the toxicity and quality of life (QoL) with CyberKnife-based SBRT and simultaneous integrated boost in localized prostate cancer.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Eligible participants included newly diagnosed, biopsy-proven unfavorable intermediate- to high-risk localized prostate cancer (at least 1 of the following: Gleason ≥4+3, magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)-defined T3a N0, prostate-specific antigen ≥20) with up to 2 MRI-identified DILs. Participants received 36.25 Gy in 5 fractions on alternative days with a simultaneous boost to DIL up to 47.5 Gy as allowed by organ-at-risk constraints delivered by CyberKnife. All participants received androgen deprivation therapy. The primary outcome measure was acute grade 2+ genitourinary toxicity. Acute and late genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity using Radiation Therapy Oncology Group scoring, biochemical parameters, International Prostate Symptom Score, International Index of Erectile Function 5, and EQ-5D QoL outcomes were assessed.

RESULTS

Between 2013 and 2023, 20 participants were enrolled with a median follow-up of 30 months. The median D95 dose to DIL was 47.43 Gy. Cumulative acute grade 2+ genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity were 25% and 30%, respectively. One patient developed acute grade 3 genitourinary toxicity (5%). There is no late grade 3 genitourinary or gastrointestinal toxicity to date. International Prostate Symptom Score and urinary QoL scores recovered to baseline by 6 months. Patient-reported outcomes showed no significant change in EQ-5D QoL scores at 12 weeks and 1 year. There are no cases of biochemical relapse reported to date.

CONCLUSIONS

CyberKnife SBRT-delivered dose of 36.25 Gy to the prostate with a simultaneous integrated boost up to 47.5 Gy is well tolerated. Acute and late genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity rates are comparable to other contemporary SBRT trials and series with focal boost.

Margin verification for hypofractionated prostate radiotherapy using a novel dose accumulation workflow and iterative CBCT

PURPOSE

Hypofractionated radiotherapy for prostate cancer reduces the inconvenience of an extended treatment course but the appropriate treatment margin to ensure tumor control while minimizing toxicity is not standardized. Using a novel dose accumulation workflow with iterative CBCT (iCBCT) images, we were able to validate treatment margins.

METHODS

Sixteen patients treated to the prostate on a hypofractionated clinical trial were selected. Prescription dose was 3625 cGy to > 95% of the PTV in 5 fractions with a boost to 4000 cGy to the high risk GTV (if applicable). PTV margin expansion was 5 mm isotropic except 3 mm posterior, no margin for the GTV. Daily iCBCT images were obtained while practicing strict bladder and rectal filling protocols. Using a novel adaptive dose accumulation workflow, synthetic CTs were created and the daily delivered dose was recalculated. The daily dose distributions were accumulated and target coverage and organ dose were assessed.

RESULTS

Although the PTV coverage dropped for the accumulated dose, the prostate coverage was not compromised. The differences in bladder and anorectum dose were not significantly different. Four patients received a boost to the GTV and a significant decrease in coverage was noted in the accumulated dose.

CONCLUSIONS

The novel dose accumulation workflow demonstrated that daily iCBCT images can be used for dose accumulation. We found that our clinical treatment margins resulted in adequate dose to the prostate while sparing OARs. If the goal is to deliver the full dose to an intra-prostatic GTV, a margin may be appropriate.

[Toxicity and quality of life comparison of iodine 125 brachytherapy and stereotactic radiotherapy for prostate cancers]

Quality of life is a major issue for good prognostic prostate cancer, for which brachytherapy is one of the reference treatments. Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) is a recent alternative however not yet validated as a standard treatment. This review of the literature reports and compares the toxicities and the quality of life, either after exclusive brachytherapy with iodine 125 or after SBRT. The comparison is made with the limitations of the absence of randomized trial comparing the two treatment techniques. Acute toxicity appears to be lower after SBRT compared to brachytherapy (from 10 to 40 % versus 30 to 40 %, respectively). Conversely, acute and late gastrointestinal toxicity (from 0 to 21 % and from 0 to 10 % of grade 2, respectively) appears more frequent with SBRT. Late urinary toxicity seems identical between both techniques (from 20 to 30 % of grade 2), with a possible urinary flare syndrome. Both treatments have an impact on erectile dysfunction, although it is not possible to conclude that a technique is superior because of the limited data on SBRT. SBRT has better bowel and urinary (irritation or obstruction) quality of life scores than brachytherapy; while sexual and urinary incontinence remain the same. The absence of randomized trial comparing SBRT with brachytherapy for prostate cancers does not allow to conclude on the superiority of one technique over another, thus justifying a phase III medicoeconomic evaluation.

Treatment plan comparison between stereotactic body radiation therapy techniques for prostate cancer: non-isocentric CyberKnife versus isocentric RapidArc

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and dose distribution of two different stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) techniques, isocentric RapidArc (RA) and non-isocentric CyberKnife (CK), for the treatment of localized prostate cancer.

METHODS

Two groups of patients (Groups 1 and 2 with ten patients per group) treated with CK were re-planned with RA. The patients were grouped according to the rectum constraint used (Group1, maximum dose for rectum; Group 2, dose-volume histogram for rectum). The prescription dose was 37.5 Gy in five fractions. The two SBRT techniques were compared by target coverage, normal tissue sparing, and dose distribution parameters. Monitor units (MUs) and the delivery time were likewise compared to assess delivery efficiency.

RESULTS

The RA plans consistently exhibited superior PTV coverage and better rectum sparing at low doses in the both groups. The conformity and heterogeneity indices of the RA plans were better than the CK plans. Additionally, the RA plans resulted in fewer low-dose regions, lower MUs, and faster delivery times than the CK plans.

CONCLUSIONS

The good dosimetric distribution and shorter delivery time make RA an attractive SBRT technique for the treatment of localized prostate cancer.