Patient positioning based on a radioactive tracer implanted in patients with localized prostate cancer: a performance and safety evaluation.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance and safety of a radiation therapy positioning system (RealEye) based on tracking a radioactive marker (Tracer) implanted in patients with localized prostate cancer.

Methods And Materials: We performed a single-arm multi-institutional trial in 20 patients. The iridium-192 ((192)Ir)-containing Tracer was implanted in the patient together with 4 standard gold seed fiducials.

No long-term effects of hormonal therapy preceding brachytherapy on urinary function and health-related quality of life among prostate cancer patients.

Objectives: To prospectively investigate the influence of 3-month neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) before brachytherapy (BT) for low-risk prostate cancer (PCa) on urinary function and health-related quality of life (HRQL).

Methods: Between 2003 and 2008, 300 patients with PCa were treated with BT using (125)I stranded seeds, of whom 86 received 3-month NHT to downsize the prostate before treatment. Urinary complaints were measured on all occasions with the International Prostate Symptom Score (n = 134) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire PR25 (EORTC-QLQ-PR25 questionnaire; n = 118) and HRQL with the EORTC-QLQ-C30 (n = 120) questionnaire.