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Late prostate cancer morbidity and biochemical failure rates appear similar with hypofractionated or conventional 3-dimensional (3D) radiotherapy, according to a report from Italy.

There's an emerging trend toward using hypofractionated regimens for clinically localized disease, and this study provides clinical evidence to support it, said researcher Dr. Giovanni Luca Gravina, of the University of L'Aquila, and colleagues.

In a May 26th online paper in BJU International, they reviewed the outcomes of 162 men with prostate cancer. Eighty-two received 3D hypofractionated RT (15 fractions of 3.62 Gy delivered 3 times/wk; total dose 54.3 Gy), and 80 received 3D conventional RT (39 fractions of 2 Gy delivered daily; total dose 78 Gy).

Both groups received a short course of hormone therapy concomitantly with the radiation therapy. The average compliance rates were 89% and 93% in the hypofractionated and conventional groups, respectively.

Overall, one patient (2%) in the conventional group and two (4%) in the hypofractionated group had late grade 3 genitourinary toxicity (3 years after RT). Three men (5%) in the conventional group and two (4%) in the hypofractionated group had late grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity.

No one in either group had late grade 4 toxicities. At a median follow-up of 45 months for the hypofractionated group and 58 months for the conventional group, disease progression rates were 22% (18/82) and 25% (20/80), respectively.

There was no significant worsening in the risk of biochemical failure.

"Further studies and longer follow-up will be required to confirm the present results," the researchers say.

Source: Reuters Health