High-dose-rate brachytherapy in the treatment of carcinoma of the prostate.

BACKGROUND Although radical prostatectomy for localized disease is considered as a standard of care, external-beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy are equally effective. We report on the technique and preliminary results of high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy using a temporary iridium-192 implant technique. METHODS The authors reviewed the literature on the techniques, treatment protocols, and results of HDR brachytherapy in the treatment of carcinoma of the prostate, and they report their own protocols, technique, and results. RESULTS The combination of HDR brachytherapy and external irradiation has been well tolerated by all 200 patients in our series, with less than 3% grade 3 late complications and with 95% PSA relapse-free survival with a median follow-up of 24 months. CONCLUSIONS HDR brachytherapy may be the most conformal type of irradiation in the treatment of carcinoma of the prostate regardless of tumor size, anatomical distortion, and organ mobility.