Purpose:

International guidelines recommend urethral dose volume constraints to minimize the risk of urinary toxicity after prostate brachytherapy. An association between dose to the bladder neck (BN) and toxicity has previously been reported, and we sought to evaluate the impact of this organ at risk on urinary toxicity, based on intra-operative contouring.

Material and methods:

Rates of acute and late urinary toxicity (AUT and LUT, respectively) were graded according to CTCAE version 5.0 for 209 consecutive patients who underwent low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy monotherapy, with approximately equal numbers treated before and after we began routinely contouring the BN. AUT and LUT were compared in patients treated before and after we began contouring the OAR, and also for those treated after we began contouring who had a D2_cc of greater than or less than 50% prescription dose.

Results:

AUT and LUT fell after intra-operative BN contouring was instituted. Rates of grade ≥ 2 AUT fell from 15/101 (15%) to 9/104 (8.6%), p = 0.245. Grade ≥ 2 LUT decreased from 32/100 (32%) to 18/100 (18%), p = 0.034. Grade ≥ 2 AUT was observed in 4/63 (6.3%) and 5/34 (15%) of those with a BN D2_cc >/≤ 50%, respectively, of prescription dose. Corresponding rates for LUT were 11/62 (18%) and 5/32 (16%).

Conclusions:

There were lower urinary toxicity rates for patients treated after we commenced routine intra-operative contouring of the BN. No clear relationship was observed between dosimetry and toxicity in our population.