BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to analyze health-related quality of life changes after postoperative radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A group of 101 patients has been surveyed prospectively before (time A), at the last day (B), two months after (C) and >1 year after (D) RT using a validated questionnaire (Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite) with urinary, bowel, sexual and hormonal domains. The prostatic fossa was treated with a four-field box technique up to a total dose of 66.6 Gy. RESULTS: While median urinary scores reached baseline levels already two months after radiotherapy (function/bother scores at time A-B-C-D: 94/89-89/75-94/89-94/89; A vs. B: p<0.01), bowel problems needed a longer time to recover (function/bother scores at time A-B-C-D: 96/100-85/89-88/93-96/100; A vs. B/C: p<0.01). Greater bladder volumes inside specific isodoses were associated with temporary significantly lower urinary bother scores and chronically lower urinary incontinence scores. Only 7% of patients reported of erections firm enough for intercourse before RT, so that RT-associated sexual toxicity played a minor role. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to bowel symptoms, acute urinary problems recover very soon after the end of postoperative RT. After >1 year, only minor HRQOL changes occurred in comparison to baseline scores.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to analyze health-related quality of life changes after postoperative radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A group of 101 patients has been surveyed prospectively before (time A), at the last day (B), two months after (C) and >1 year after (D) RT using a validated questionnaire (Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite) with urinary, bowel, sexual and hormonal domains. The prostatic fossa was treated with a four-field box technique up to a total dose of 66.6 Gy. RESULTS: While median urinary scores reached baseline levels already two months after radiotherapy (function/bother scores at time A-B-C-D: 94/89-89/75-94/89-94/89; A vs. B: p<0.01), bowel problems needed a longer time to recover (function/bother scores at time A-B-C-D: 96/100-85/89-88/93-96/100; A vs. B/C: p<0.01). Greater bladder volumes inside specific isodoses were associated with temporary significantly lower urinary bother scores and chronically lower urinary incontinence scores. Only 7% of patients reported of erections firm enough for intercourse before RT, so that RT-associated sexual toxicity played a minor role. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to bowel symptoms, acute urinary problems recover very soon after the end of postoperative RT. After >1 year, only minor HRQOL changes occurred in comparison to baseline scores.
Authors: Michael Sia; George Rodrigues; Cynthia Menard; Andrew Bayley; Robert Bristow; Peter Chung; Mary Gospodarowicz; Michael Milosevic; Padraig Warde; Charles Catton Journal: Can Urol Assoc J Date: 2010-04 Impact factor: 1.862
Authors: Michael Pinkawa; Martin Pursch-Lee; Branka Asadpour; Bernd Gagel; Marc D Piroth; Jens Klotz; Sandra Nussen; Michael J Eble Journal: Strahlenther Onkol Date: 2008-12-24 Impact factor: 3.621
Authors: Young Suk Kwon; Wei Wang; Arnav Srivastava; Thomas L Jang; Eric A Singer; Rahul R Parikh; Wun-Jae Kim; Isaac Yi Kim Journal: Prostate Int Date: 2020-11-07
Authors: Michael Pinkawa; Karin Fischedick; Bernd Gagel; Marc D Piroth; Branka Asadpour; Jens Klotz; Holger Borchers; Gerhard Jakse; Michael J Eble Journal: BMC Cancer Date: 2009-08-24 Impact factor: 4.430