Plan quality and dosimetric association of patient-reported rectal and urinary toxicities for prostate stereotactic body radiotherapy

Abstract

Background and purpose: To study the association between dosimetric parameters with patient-reported quality-of-life (QOL) in urinary irritative/incontinency and bowel functions for prostate stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

Material and methods: The patient-reported QOL was evaluated using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-26). According to the progression in QOL score over 12months, patients were assigned to one of three subgroups: score decrement, no change, or increment. The dosimetric parameters were cross-compared among subgroups in urinary and bowel domains using univariate Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The evaluated dosimetric metrics included target volume, V100 (volume receiving 100% prescription dose); rectal volume/dose-volume endpoints, maximum/mean doses; bladder volume/dose-volume endpoints, and maximum/mean doses.

Results: Patients with consistent QOL reduction in urinary irritation function were significantly associated with greater mean bladder dose, greater V85/V90/V95/V100 and D_2cc/D_10cc. Patients with QOL reduction in urinary incontinence were marginally associated with greater mean bladder dose (p=0.06). None of the evaluated dosimetric parameters showed a significant correlation with QOL score change in bowel function.

Conclusions: Patients with large prostate size were more susceptible to QOL decrements for urinary irritative and incontinency functions. Large bladder V85/V90/V95/V100 was associated with QOL decrements in the urinary irritative domain at 1-year after prostate SBRT.

Keywords: Minimally clinically important difference (MID); Plans quality; Prostate cancer; Quality-of-life (QOL); Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).