Prospective evaluation of urinary and intestinal side effects after BeamCath stereotactic dose-escalated radiotherapy of XXXX .

@entity1 @entity263 @entity322
BACKGROUND: New data suggest that a higher radiation dose will improve outcome in treatment of @entity263 . External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) may on the other hand induce disturbances in the @entity1 's urinary and intestinal function. Since 1997, 195 @entity1 have been treated with a stereotactic boost of 4-8 Gy added to conventional 70 Gy EBRT. Late side effects were prospectively evaluated 3 years after dose-escalated EBRT. METHODS: Urinary and intestinal problems were prospectively evaluated with a validated self-assessment questionnaire, the @entity263 Symptom Scale (PCSS). Two hundred and eighty-seven @entity1 completed the questionnaire at the 1 year follow-up, and 153 at 3 years after treatment. Pre-treatment mean age was 66 years. One hundred and sixty-eight @entity1 were treated with the conformal technique and 195 were treated with the dose-escalated stereotactic BeamCath technique. Mean total dose in the conformal group (< or =70 Gy) was 66 Gy (60.8-70.4 Gy). The dose-escalated group consists of three dose levels, 74 Gy (n = 68), 76 Gy (n = 74), and 78 Gy (n = 53). RESULTS: Analyzing the whole population 3 years after treatment, urgency and starting problems decreased in comparison to pre-treatment. A minor increase in @entity322 was reported 3 years after treatment in comparison to pre-treatment. No increases in other urinary symptoms were reported. Intestinal symptoms were slightly increased during the follow-up period in comparison to pre-treatment. Dose escalation with stereotactic EBRT (74-78 Gy) did not increase gastrointestinal or genitourinary late side effects at 1 year or 3 years in comparison to doses < or =70 Gy. CONCLUSIONS: The stereotactic BeamCath EBRT technique facilitates safe dose escalation of @entity1 with @entity263 .
