Aims and background: To retrospectively determine acute toxicity and local control in patients with recurrence after definitive radiotherapy for prostate, bladder and rectal carcinoma.
Methods: Between September 2009 and March 2010, 4 patients with a prior history of pelvic radiotherapy were treated with helical tomotherapy. The prior course of radiotherapy was given for prostate cancer in 2 patients, bladder carcinoma in 1 patient and rectal carcinoma in 1 patient. The median prescribed dose of the prior course of radiotherapy was 6320 cGy (range, 5000-7600), and the median elapsed time between the first and second course was 17 months (range, 4-73). The total prescribed dose for tomotherapy retreatment was 60 Gy in 3 patients and 50 Gy in 1 patient. Hormone therapy was administered to 2 patients before and during radiation. No patient underwent surgical resection.
Results: The cumulative mean dose to the rectum ranged from 3813 to 6058 cGy; cumulative rectal maximum dose to 1 cc ranged from 6475 to 8780 cGy. Regarding the bladder, the cumulative mean dose was between 4384 and 7612 cGy; cumulative maximum dose to 1 cc ranged from 7560 to 9790 cGy. All patients completed the re-irradiation course. Acute genitourinary toxicity (RTOG scale) was grade 0 in 3 patients and grade 1 in 1 patient; acute gastrointestinal toxicity was grade 0 in 3 patients and grade 1 in 1 patient. With a median follow-up of 9 months (range, 7-12), late toxicity was G0 in all patients. Three patients showed partial response with computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, and 1 had a PSA decrease.
Conclusions: Re-irradiation with helical tomotherapy was well tolerated, with low rates of acute and late toxicity. It can be therefore considered a useful tool to improve local control in patients previously treated with radiotherapy. However, a larger number of patients and a longer follow-up are required to assess retreatment safety.