International Journal of Radiation Research

en Quality of life > 5 years after prostate cancer radiation therapy with a radiopaque viscous hydrogel spacer Radiation Biology Radiation Biology تحقيق بديع Original Research <div style="text-align: justify;">Background: Perirectal spacers are injected to decrease the dose to the rectum and prevent rectal toxicity in prostate cancer radiotherapy. Advantages of a radiopaque viscous hydrogel spacer are a good visibility in computed tomography and improved placement control. The aim of this study was to demonstrate unaffected long-term bowel quality of life (QoL) in comparison to baseline levels, independently from radiotherapy (RT) treatment technique. Materials and Methods: Patients responded to the EPIC (Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite) questionnaire before RT, at the last day of RT, 3 months, >12 months and >60 months after RT (n=27). A significant QoL change was defined as a statistically significant mean change >5 points in comparison to baseline. Results: The largest mean bowel domain changes were found at the end of RT (>10 points in the function and bother subdomains, respectively). Function subdomain changes remained without a significant difference in comparison to baseline at all later points in time (<3 points, respectively). In the bother subdomain, changes remained >5 points and statistically significant (8 and 6 points after >12 and >60 months, repsectively). In contrast to patients after pelvic node RT, the difference after >60 months was <5 points for patients after prostate only RT (12 vs. 4 points with vs. without pelvic node RT). Conclusion: The first QoL analysis after RT with a radiopaque viscous hydrogel spacer showed unaffected long-term bowel QoL in patients with limitation of the target volume to the prostate. </div> Prostate cancer, radiotherapy, brachytherapy, hydrogel, quality of life. 1003 1007 http://ijrr.com/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-1427&slc_lang=en&sid=1 M. Pinkawa michael.pinkawa@post.rwth-aachen.de 7900319475328460032471 7900319475328460032471 Yes Department of Radiation Oncology, Wege Klinik, Bonn, Germany H. Haddad 7900319475328460032472 7900319475328460032472 No Department of Radiation Oncology, Wege Klinik, Bonn, Germany A. Rashid 7900319475328460032473 7900319475328460032473 No Department of Radiation Oncology, Wege Klinik, Bonn, Germany S. Temming 7900319475328460032474 7900319475328460032474 No Department of Radiation Oncology, Wege Klinik, Bonn, Germany H. Hermani 7900319475328460032475 7900319475328460032475 No Department of Radiation Oncology, Wege Klinik, Bonn, Germany M. Schlenter 7900319475328460032476 7900319475328460032476 No Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany