Rectal ulceration as a result of prostatic brachytherapy: a new clinical problem: report of three cases.

INTRODUCTION: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer of males in the United States. One treatment modality for localized prostate cancer is brachytherapy, the implantation of radioactive seeds directly into the prostate. Although this is an effective treatment option, significant complications can result. More commonly these complications involve the genitourinary tract, but radiation proctitis is a well-recognized, less common complication. A specific complication of brachytherapy, the development of a rectal ulcer is not well recognized. The clinical course of this complication and results of treatment options are unknown.
METHODS: Three cases of rectal ulceration as a consequence of prostatic brachyradiotherapy are presented, and the presumed course of disease and treatment options is discussed.
RESULTS: Two patients were initially treated with local advancement flaps that both failed. These patients developed rectourethral fistulas. One patient was treated with diverting colostomy and suprapubic urinary diversion. The second underwent proctectomy and coloanal anastomosis. This also failed after multiple attempts to treat perianastomotic fistulas. The third patient was treated endoscopically for bleeding and has had no further interventions.
CONCLUSION: In the small percentage of patients who develop rectal ulcerations from prostatic brachyradiotherapy, local medical or surgical treatments will often result in failure. They also may contribute to the eventual development of rectourethral fistulas, the likely natural progression of this disease. These fistulas should be treated with both urinary and fecal diversion. Earlier stages of ulceration may be treated with rectal resection and reconstruction, but selection criteria for these procedures have yet to be determined.