Intensity-modulated radiotherapy as primary therapy for prostate cancer: report on acute toxicity after dose escalation with simultaneous integrated boost to intraprostatic lesion

Abstract

Purpose: To report on the acute toxicity of a third escalation level using intensity-modulated radiotherapy for prostate cancer (PCa) and the acute toxicity resulting from delivery of a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) to an intraprostatic lesion (IPL) detected on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with or without spectroscopy.

Methods and materials: Between January 2002 and March 2007, we treated 230 patients with intensity-modulated radiotherapy to a third escalation level as primary therapy for prostate cancer. If an IPL (defined by MRI or MRI plus spectroscopy) was present, a SIB was delivered to the IPL. To report on acute toxicity, patients were seen weekly during treatment and 1 and 3 months after treatment. Toxicity was scored using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group toxicity scale, supplemented by an in-house-developed scoring system.

Results: The median dose to the planning target volume was 78 Gy. An IPL was found in 118 patients. The median dose to the MRI-detected IPL and MRI plus spectroscopy-detected IPL was 81 Gy and 82 Gy, respectively. No Grade 3 or 4 acute gastrointestinal toxicity developed. Grade 2 acute gastrointestinal toxicity was present in 26 patients (11%). Grade 3 genitourinary toxicity was present in 15 patients (7%), and 95 patients developed Grade 2 acute genitourinary toxicity (41%). No statistically significant increase was found in Grade 2-3 acute gastrointestinal or genitourinary toxicity after a SIB to an IPL.

Conclusion: The results of our study have shown that treatment-induced acute toxicity remains low when intensity-modulated radiotherapy to 80 Gy as primary therapy for prostate cancer is used. In addition, a SIB to an IPL did not increase the severity or incidence of acute toxicity.