Long-term outcomes of combining prostate brachytherapy and metastasis-directed radiotherapy in newly diagnosed oligometastatic prostate cancer: A retrospective cohort study

Prostate. 2019 Apr;79(5):506-514. doi: 10.1002/pros.23757. Epub 2018 Dec 26.

Abstract

Background: Systemic Therapy in Advancing or Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Evaluation of Drug Efficacy (STAMPEDE) trial showed the survival benefit for prostate radiotherapy in newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients with a low metastatic burden. The result raises the next question whether additional radiotherapy to metastatic sites could improve the survival in those with a low metastatic burden.

Methods: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of prostate-directed radiotherapy (PDRT) with or without metastasis-directed radiotherapy (MDRT) in newly diagnosed oligometastatic patients who underwent combination of high-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy, external beam radiotherapy, and androgen deprivation therapy. Forty patients with bone metastasis and node positive prostate cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Of these, 22 (55%), 3 (7%), and 15 (38%) patients had N1M0, M1a, and M1b, respectively. Eighteen patients (45%) received MDRT to all metastatic sites. All patients initially underwent ≧6 months of androgen deprivation therapy. Oligometastatic disease was defined as presence of five or fewer metastatic lesions. Median follow-up period was 62.5 months.

Results: Of the 40 patients, the 5-year castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)-free survival rate and cancer-specific survival was 64.4% and 87.9%, respectively. Pre- or post-treatment predictive value including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) at diagnosis ≥20 ng/mL, Gleason grade group 5, positive biopsy core rate ≥51%, PSA nadir level of ≥0.02 ng/mL after the radiotherapy, and no MDRT were significantly associated with progression to CRPC. Patients with MDRT had significantly higher probability of achieving a PSA level of <0.02 ng/mL than those without the therapy (88.8% vs 54.5%, P = 0.0354) and consequently had a better CRPC-free survival than those without the therapy (HR 0.319, 95%CI: 0.116-0.877). Comparing PDRT alone, PDRT with MDRT did not significantly increase the incidences of genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicities.

Conclusions: This single-institutional study revealed the feasibility of combining prostate brachytherapy and MDRT for newly diagnosed oligometastatic prostate cancer. This combined approach has potential to prolong CRPC-free survival.

Keywords: cytoreductive; limited number of metastases; local therapy; low volume; urinary obstruction.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Brachytherapy / methods*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / pathology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / prevention & control
  • Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / radiotherapy*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome