Concomitant boost radiotherapy for muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a concomitant partial bladder boost schedule in radiotherapy for invasive bladder cancer, coupling a limited boost volume with shortening of the overall treatment time.

METHODS AND MATERIALS:

Between 1994 and 1999, 50 patients with a T2-T4 N0M0 transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder received radiotherapy delivered in a short overall treatment time with a concomitant boost technique. With this technique a dose of 40 Gy in 2-Gy fractions was administered to the small pelvis with a concomitant boost limited to the bladder tumor area plus margin of 15 Gy in fractions of 0.75 Gy. The total tumor dose was 55 Gy in 20 fractions in 4 weeks. Toxicity was scored according to EORTC/RTOG toxicity criteria.

RESULTS:

The feasibility of the treatment was good. Severe acute toxicity >/=G3 was observed in seven patients (14%). Severe late toxicity >/=G3 was observed in six patients (13%). Thirty-seven patients (74%) showed a complete and five (10 %) a partial remission after treatment. The actuarial 3-year freedom of local progression was 55%.

CONCLUSION:

In external radiotherapy for muscle invasive bladder cancer a concomitant boost technique coupling a partial bladder boost with shortening of the overall treatment time provides a high probability of local control with acceptable toxicity.

• Authors: Floris J Pos, Geertjan van Tienhoven, Maarten C C M Hulshof, Kees Koedooder, Dionisio González González
• Journal: Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (Radiother Oncol) Vol. 68 Issue 1 Pg. 75-80 (Jul 2003) ISSN: 0167-8140 [Print] Ireland
• PMID: 12885455 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Carcinoma (mortality, pathology, radiotherapy)
• Dose Fractionation, Radiation
• Female
• Humans
• Intestine, Large (radiation effects)
• Intestine, Small (radiation effects)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Invasiveness
• Survival Rate
• Time Factors
• Urinary Bladder (radiation effects)
• Urinary Bladder Neoplasms (mortality, pathology, radiotherapy)