Current Status of Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer

Overview

Journal Korean J Urol

Specialty Urology

Date 2012 Nov 28

PMID 23185664

Citations 4

Authors

Dong Soo Park

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Brachytherapy was developed to treat prostate cancer 50 years ago. Current advanced techniques using transrectal ultrasonography were established 25 years ago. Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) has enabled the prostate to be viewed with improved resolution with the use of modern ultrasound machines. Moreover, the development of software that can provide images captured in real time has improved treatment outcomes. Other new radiologic imaging technologies or a combination of magnetic resonance and TRUS could be applied to brachytherapy in the future. The therapeutic value of brachytherapy for early-stage prostate cancer is comparable to that of radical prostatectomy in long-term follow-up. Nevertheless, widespread application of brachytherapy cannot be achieved for several reasons. The treatment outcome of brachytherapy varies according to the skill of the operator and differences in patient selection. Currently, only three radioactive isotopes are available for use in low dose rate prostate brachytherapy: I-125, Pd-103, and Cs-131; therefore, more isotopes should be developed. High dose rate brachytherapy using Ir-192 combined with external beam radiation, which is needed to verify the long-term effects, has been widely applied in high-risk patient groups. Recently, tumor-selective therapy or focal therapy using brachytherapy, which is not possible by surgical extraction, has been developed to maintain the quality of life in selected cases. However, this new application for prostate cancer treatment should be performed cautiously because we do not know the oncological outcome, and it would be an interim treatment method. This technique might evolve into a hybrid of whole-gland treatment and focal therapy.

Citing Articles

Comparison of the Medical Uses and Cellular Effects of High and Low Linear Energy Transfer Radiation.

Russ E, Davis C, Slaven J, Bradfield D, Selwyn R, Day R Toxics. 2022; 10(10).

PMID: 36287908 PMC: 9609561. DOI: 10.3390/toxics10100628.

Recent Advances in Brachytherapy Using Radioactive Nanoparticles: An Alternative to Seed-Based Brachytherapy.

Seniwal B, Thipe V, Singh S, Fonseca T, de Freitas L Front Oncol. 2021; 11:766407.

PMID: 34900715 PMC: 8651618. DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.766407.

MANAGEMENT OF PROSTATE CANCER IN ACCRA, GHANA.

Yeboah E, Hsing A, Mante S, Mensah J, Kyei M, Yarney J J West Afr Coll Surg. 2017; 6(4):31-65.

PMID: 29181364 PMC: 5667721.

Low temperature plasma: a novel focal therapy for localized prostate cancer?.

Hirst A, Frame F, Maitland N, OConnell D Biomed Res Int. 2014; 2014:878319.

PMID: 24738076 PMC: 3971493. DOI: 10.1155/2014/878319.

References

Stock R, Stone N, Wesson M, DeWyngaert J . A modified technique allowing interactive ultrasound-guided three-dimensional transperineal prostate implantation. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1995; 32(1):219-25. DOI: 10.1016/0360-3016(95)00521-Y. View

Lee W, Deguzman A, Tomlinson S, McCULLOUGH D . Radioactive sources embedded in suture are associated with improved postimplant dosimetry in men treated with prostate brachytherapy. Radiother Oncol. 2002; 65(2):123-7. DOI: 10.1016/s0167-8140(02)00305-5. View

Kwok Y, DiBiase S, Amin P, Naslund M, Sklar G, Jacobs S . Risk group stratification in patients undergoing permanent (125)I prostate brachytherapy as monotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2002; 53(3):588-94. DOI: 10.1016/s0360-3016(02)02796-7. View

Grimm P, Billiet I, Bostwick D, Dicker A, Frank S, Immerzeel J . Comparative analysis of prostate-specific antigen free survival outcomes for patients with low, intermediate and high risk prostate cancer treatment by radical therapy. Results from the Prostate Cancer Results Study Group. BJU Int. 2012; 109 Suppl 1:22-9. DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10827.x. View

Heysek R, Gwede C, Torres-Roca J, Cantor A, Kelley S, Saini A . A dosimetric analysis of unstranded seeds versus customized stranded seeds in transperineal interstitial permanent prostate seed brachytherapy. Brachytherapy. 2006; 5(4):244-50. DOI: 10.1016/j.brachy.2006.08.003. View

Sylvester J, Blasko J, Grimm P, Meier R, Malmgren J . Ten-year biochemical relapse-free survival after external beam radiation and brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer: the Seattle experience. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2003; 57(4):944-52. DOI: 10.1016/s0360-3016(03)00739-9. View

Kollmeier M, Stock R, Stone N . Biochemical outcomes after prostate brachytherapy with 5-year minimal follow-up: importance of patient selection and implant quality. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2003; 57(3):645-53. DOI: 10.1016/s0360-3016(03)00627-8. View

Langley S, Ahmed H, Al-Qaisieh B, Bostwick D, Dickinson L, Gomez Veiga F . Report of a consensus meeting on focal low dose rate brachytherapy for prostate cancer. BJU Int. 2012; 109 Suppl 1:7-16. DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10825.x. View

Zelefsky M, Hollister T, Raben A, Matthews S, Wallner K . Five-year biochemical outcome and toxicity with transperineal CT-planned permanent I-125 prostate implantation for patients with localized prostate cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2000; 47(5):1261-6. DOI: 10.1016/s0360-3016(00)00550-2. View

10.

Hoskin P, Rojas A, Bownes P, Lowe G, Ostler P, Bryant L . Randomised trial of external beam radiotherapy alone or combined with high-dose-rate brachytherapy boost for localised prostate cancer. Radiother Oncol. 2012; 103(2):217-22. DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2012.01.007. View

11.

Mate T, Gottesman J, Hatton J, Gribble M, Van Hollebeke L . High dose-rate afterloading 192Iridium prostate brachytherapy: feasibility report. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1998; 41(3):525-33. DOI: 10.1016/s0360-3016(98)00097-2. View

12.

Krishnamurthy D, Weinberg V, Cunha J, Hsu I, Pouliot J . Comparison of high-dose rate prostate brachytherapy dose distributions with iridium-192, ytterbium-169, and thulium-170 sources. Brachytherapy. 2011; 10(6):461-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.brachy.2011.01.012. View

13.

Locke J, Ellis W, Wallner K, Cavanagh W, Blasko J . Risk factors for acute urinary retention requiring temporary intermittent catheterization after prostate brachytherapy: a prospective study. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2002; 52(3):712-9. DOI: 10.1016/s0360-3016(01)02657-8. View

14.

Zelefsky M, Yamada Y, Cohen G, Venkatraman E, Fung A, Furhang E . Postimplantation dosimetric analysis of permanent transperineal prostate implantation: improved dose distributions with an intraoperative computer-optimized conformal planning technique. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2000; 48(2):601-8. DOI: 10.1016/s0360-3016(00)00655-6. View

15.

Grimm P, Blasko J, Sylvester J, MEIER R, Cavanagh W . 10-year biochemical (prostate-specific antigen) control of prostate cancer with (125)I brachytherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2001; 51(1):31-40. DOI: 10.1016/s0360-3016(01)01601-7. View

16.

WHITMORE Jr W, Hilaris B, GRABSTALD H . Retropubic implantation to iodine 125 in the treatment of prostatic cancer. J Urol. 1972; 108(6):918-20. DOI: 10.1016/s0022-5347(17)60906-6. View

17.

Grimm P, Blasko J, RAGDE H, Sylvester J, Clarke D . Does brachytherapy have a role in the treatment of prostate cancer?. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 1996; 10(3):653-73. DOI: 10.1016/s0889-8588(05)70359-2. View

18.

Saibishkumar E, Borg J, Yeung I, Cummins-Holder C, Landon A, Crook J . Sequential comparison of seed loss and prostate dosimetry of stranded seeds with loose seeds in 125I permanent implant for low-risk prostate cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2008; 73(1):61-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2008.04.009. View

19.

Reed D, Wallner K, Merrick G, Arthurs S, Mueller A, Cavanagh W . A prospective randomized comparison of stranded vs. loose 125I seeds for prostate brachytherapy. Brachytherapy. 2007; 6(2):129-34. DOI: 10.1016/j.brachy.2007.01.003. View

20.

Fisher C, Troncoso P, Swanson D, Munsell M, Kuban D, Lee A . Knife or needles? A cohort analysis of outcomes after radical prostatectomy or brachytherapy for men with low- or intermediate-risk adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Brachytherapy. 2012; 11(6):429-34. PMC: 3891369. DOI: 10.1016/j.brachy.2012.04.009. View