Local control and reduced complications in split course irradiation of prostatic cancer

• Published in: International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 43 - 47
• Main Authors: Pino y Torres, Jose L., Lee, Ding_Jen, Leibel, Steven A., Wharam, Moody D., Cantrell, Brett B., Bross, Dean S., Order, Stanley E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 1981
• Subjects: Carcinoma - radiotherapy; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; External radiation; Humans; Lymph Node Excision; Male; Megavoltage; Prognosis; Prostatic cancer; Prostatic Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Prostatic Neoplasms - therapy; Radiotherapy Dosage; External radiation; Megavoltage; Prostatic cancer
• ISSN: 0360-3016; 1879-355X
• DOI: 10.1016/0360-3016(81)90058-4

Split course prostatic irradiation is a treatment technique where 4000–4500 rod whole pelvis irradiation is followed by two weeks of rest and an additional 2000–2500 rod by reduced field technique to a total dose of 6000–6500 rod. Eighty-four patients were studied and the results indicated a local regional control rate of 97.6% with an overall 3 year survival without evidence of disease of 96.6% for Stages A and B and 60% for Stage c. Significant complications occurred in 1.2 % of the patients. None of the patients needed surgical correction of a complication other than a perineal abscess. The risk/benefit ratio for pelvic and prostatic irradiation favors split course prostatic irradiation in that it demonstrates a low complication rate, high local regional control, and comparable disease-free survival to continuous irradiation.