ORCID Profile
0000-0001-8202-8602
Current Organisations
Monash University
,
Alfred Health
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Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.EJMP.2017.06.008
Abstract: High dose rate prostate brachytherapy is a widely-practiced treatment, delivering large conformal doses in relatively few treatment fractions. Inter- and intra-fraction catheter displacements have been reported. Unrecognized displacement can have a significant impact on dosimetry. Knowledge of the implant geometry at the time of treatment is important for ensuring safe and effective treatment. In this work we demonstrate a method to reconstruct the catheter positions pre-treatment, using a 'shift' imaging technique, and perform registration with the treatment plan for verification relative to the prostate. Two oblique 'shift' images were acquired of a phantom containing brachytherapy catheters, representing the patient immediately pre-treatment. Using a back projection approach, the catheter paths were reconstructed in 3D and registered with the planned catheter paths. The robustness of the reconstruction and registration process was investigated as a function of phantom rotation. Catheter displacement detection was performed and compared to known applied displacements. Reconstruction of the implant geometry in 3D immediately prior to treatment was achieved. A mean reconstruction uncertainty of 0.8mm was determined for all catheters with a mean registration uncertainty of 0.5mm. A catheter displacement detection threshold of 2.2mm was demonstrated. Catheter displacements were all detected to within 0.5mm of the applied displacements. This technique is robust and sensitive to assess catheter displacements throughout the implant volume. This approach provides a method to detect, in 3D, changes in catheter positions relative to the prostate. The method has sufficient sensitivity to enable clinically significant decisions immediately prior to treatment delivery.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-11-2018
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.14593
Abstract: To describe health service use, symptom and survival characteristics in metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) in order to outline usual care practices and identify future opportunities to improve the quality of care in this patient group. This population cohort study, conducted in Victoria, Australia, used 10 years (2000-2010) of linked hospital discharge, emergency visit, and death registration data, to track patients from their first inpatient admission with mPCa until death. Descriptive statistics on inpatient health service use, symptoms, procedures, survival, and place of death are presented. In all, 4436 patients survived a median (interquartile range [IQR]) of 4 (1, 12) months from their first multiday admission with mPCa. They had a median (IQR) of 3 (1, 9) admissions, 1 (0, 2) emergency department presentation, and 35 (18, 63) days admitted to hospital. Lower urinary tract symptoms were common (50%), and 21% underwent lower urinary tract procedures, whilst 48% had blood product transfusions. In the last month of life, 3685 (83%) had at least one indicator of aggressive end-of-life care, including 48% with more than one acute hospital admission, and 55% staying ≥14 days. Hospital-based palliative care was accessed by 2657 (60%), occurring a median (IQR) of 30 (11, 74) days before death. In all, 23% died in the community, whilst 77% died in hospital, of whom 55% died in an acute hospital bed. Half of all decedents first admitted for a multiday stay with mPCa survived <4 months thereafter. They had a marked symptom burden, underwent multiple procedures and had multiple admissions. In all, 40% of patients did not receive any hospital-based palliative care. Several opportunities exist to improve the timely transition to palliative care services with mPCa. These data form a benchmark against which future improvements to palliative care integration may be measured.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2007
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-2012
DOI: 10.1111/J.1754-9485.2011.02336.X
Abstract: Curative radiotherapy, with or without concurrent chemotherapy, is recognized as a standard treatment option for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. It is commonly used for two distinct groups of patients: either for those medically unfit for surgery, or as part of a 'bladder preserving' management plan incorporating the possibility of salvage cystectomy. However, in both situations, the approach to radiotherapy varies widely around the world. The Australian and New Zealand Faculty of Radiation Oncology Genito-Urinary Group recognised a need to develop consistent, evidence-based guidelines for patient selection and radiotherapy technique in the delivery of curative radiotherapy. Following a workshop convened in May 2009, a working party collated opinions and conducted a wide literature appraisal linking each recommendation with the best available evidence. This process was subject to ongoing re-presentation to the Faculty of Radiation Oncology Genito-Urinary Group members prior to final endorsement. These Guidelines include patient selection, radiation target delineation, dose and fractionation schedules, normal tissue constraints and investigational techniques. Particular emphasis is given to the rationale for the target volumes described. These Guidelines provide a consensus-based framework for the delivery of curative radiotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Widespread input from radiation oncologists treating bladder cancer ensures that these techniques are feasible in practice. We recommend these Guidelines be adopted widely in order to encourage a uniformly high standard of radiotherapy in this setting, and to allow for better comparison of outcomes.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2016
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-12-2015
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.13380
Abstract: To compare the short-term oncological and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes between open (ORP) and robot-assisted (RARP) radical prostatectomy in the population-based Victorian Prostate Cancer Registry. This is a prospective cohort of patients with prostate cancer who had RP (1117 ORP and 885 RARP) between January 2009 and June 2012. The oncological outcomes of interest were: positive surgical margin (PSM) and biochemical recurrence (BCR), defined as postoperative PSA level of >0.2 ng/mL. The HRQOL outcomes were: sexual and urinary bother, assessed using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite at 1- and 2-years after diagnosis. For univariate comparison of continuous variables the Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test were used, and the Pearson's chi-squared test was used for categorical variables. Bonferroni correction was applied to account for multiple testing, with a threshold for significance of P < 0.003 for univariate analyses. The inverse-probability-treatment-weighting (IPTW) approach was used to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics between ORP and RARP patients [including age, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) risk categories, hospitals, and year of RP] in all multivariate analyses. Logistic regressions were used to analyse for PSM, Cox regressions for BCR, and ordinal logistic regressions for HRQOL outcomes. All multivariate analyses also adjusted for surgeons' average annual caseload, and employed the robust standard errors for clustering by surgeon. ORP and RARP patients were followed for a median of 19 and 17 months, respectively. The proportion of patients with NCCN low-risk prostate cancer was significantly higher among RARP patients (21% vs 26% P = 0.002). Most RPs was done in private hospitals (77% ORP, and 85% RARP, P 20 case/year P < 0.001). In the IPTW-adjusted multivariate analyses, RARP patients had a lower risk of PSM (odds ratio [OR] 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.38-0.81), and BCR (hazard ratio [HR] 0.73, 95% CI 0.55-0.99). In the sensitivity analyses (excluding public hospital patients), the lower PSM risk with RARP remained (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.38-0.81), but the lower BCR risk with RARP was no longer statistically significant (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.57-1.12). At 1-year follow-up, 61% of ORP and 59% of RARP patients reported 'moderate-big' sexual bother (P = 0.2), while 14% of ORP and 11% of RARP patients reported 'moderate-big' urinary bother (P = 0.08). The sexual and urinary bothers at 2 years were similar between ORP and RARP. In multivariate analyses, there were no statistically significant differences in the HRQOL outcomes between ORP and RARP. We report on a large population-based comparative study of ORP and RARP with better short-term oncological outcomes favouring RARP, but no significant differences in HRQOL outcomes. The results have to be interpreted taking into account significant surgeon heterogeneity in a population-based study.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 24-09-2019
DOI: 10.1007/S10552-019-01234-7
Abstract: Diet and body size may affect the risk of aggressive prostate cancer (APC), but current evidence is inconclusive. A case-control study was conducted in men under 75 years of age recruited from urology practices in Victoria, Australia 1,254 with APC and 818 controls for whom the presence of prostate cancer had been excluded by biopsy. Dietary intakes were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable unconditional logistic regression estimated odds ratios and confidence intervals for hypothesized risk factors, adjusting for age, family history of prostate cancer, country of birth, socioeconomic status, smoking, and other dietary factors. Positive associations with APC (odds ratio, 95% confidence intervals, highest vs. lowest category or quintile) were observed for body mass index (1.34, 1.02-1.78, P We confirmed previous evidence for a positive association between body size and risk of APC, and suggest that consumption of dairy products, and milk more specifically, is inversely associated with risk.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-06-2013
DOI: 10.1002/PON.3310
Abstract: This study aimed to estimate the proportion of patients with prostate cancer (PCa) meeting the National Physical Activity Guidelines of Australia (NPAGA) and determine sociodemographic and medical factors associated with meeting these guidelines. Secondary aims included examining physical activity (PA) levels by treatment type and domain (leisure, work, transport and domestic) and establishing a predictive model of the likelihood that men with PCa would meet NPAGA. A questionnaire was mailed to 638 men with PCa attending for treatment at the Alfred, Cabrini or Latrobe Regional Hospitals during 2010 and 2011, with a response rate of 59%. Measures included International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Prostate and sociodemographic items. Inclusion criteria were English speaking men aged 40 to 80 years, who had undergone radiotherapy (RT) between 9 and 30 months prior to the survey. Of 356 men with PCa, less than half were meeting NPAGA (41.9%). Lower education and quality of life (QoL), a higher number of comorbid conditions and symptoms of depression and anxiety were associated with decreased leisure-time PA. Patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy were significantly less active than patients treated with RT only. Logistic regression analyses indicated that the likelihood of meeting NPAGA was significantly lower with higher levels of depressive symptoms and lower levels of education. Meeting NPAGA is associated with higher QoL and psychosocial well-being in men with PCa. These findings contribute important information for targeting PA interventions to PCa survivors.
Publisher: American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Date: 20-04-2013
Abstract: Summary evidence on the effectiveness of quality improvement interventions (QIIs) directed at cancer specialists is needed for two reasons. First, there are some innovations over which only cancer specialists have control (eg, surgical technique or chemotherapy regimen). Second, implementation of QIIs has opportunity costs the time and money spent on an ineffective QII might be better spent on direct patient care. Medical Subject Headings and text words for “quality improvement” were combined with those for “neoplasm” to search MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and EMBASE from January 1990 to August 2012 for studies of QIIs directed at cancer specialists (eg, medical/radiation oncologist, surgeon). All study designs were included. Five thousand seven hundred eighty-one articles were screened, but only 12 met the inclusion criteria, including three cluster randomized controlled trials (cRCTs), seven uncontrolled before-and-after comparisons, and two cross-sectional studies. All 12 studies were conducted in response to concerns about quality of care. No cRCT showed a benefit of the QIIs tested. Some uncontrolled before-and-after and cross-sectional studies reported a benefit from the QII, but these studies are difficult to interpret because of concerns about uncontrolled confounding. Interventions in all studies were multifaceted, but descriptions of different components were limited, and only one study examined their separate impact. The published evidence about how to facilitate timely and consistent adoption of new clinical knowledge by cancer specialists into everyday clinical practice is thin. More investment is needed in research about the solution (QIIs) to match the investment in research about the problem (inconsistent/slow adoption of innovative cancer treatments).
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-05-2006
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-06-2022
Abstract: We aim to evaluate the use of different whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) fractionation schedules for brain metastases (BM) in Victoria, and the factors associated with it. This is a population‐based cohort of patients who received radiation therapy for BM between 2012 and 2017, as captured in the Victorian Radiotherapy Minimum Dataset. We excluded patients with primary brain tumour and those who had ‘prophylactic’ intent treatment. The Cochran–Armitage test was used to evaluate changing trend in WBRT fractionation. Multivariate multinomial logistic regressions were used to evaluate factors associated with WBRT fractionation. Of the 3111 patients who had WBRT, 1048 (45%), 1291 (42%) and 312 (13%) had ≤5, 6–10 and fractions WBRT respectively. There was progressive increase in ≤5 fractions WBRT use over time, from 37% in 2012 to 50% in 2017 ( P ‐trend 0.001). In multivariate analyses, increasing age, patients with gastrointestinal cancer, patients living in remote/regional areas and more recent treatment were associated with the use of shorter WBRT fractionation (≤5 fractions), while patients who had WBRT plus stereotactic radiosurgery, and those treated in private institutions were associated with the use of prolonged WBRT fractionation (≥6 fractions). Three hundred eighty‐nine (13%) patients died within 30 days of WBRT, of which 241 (64%), 119 (32%) and 17 (5%) had ≤5, 6–10 and 10 fractions WBRT respectively. We observed large variations in WBRT fractionation that are associated with patient, tumour, treatment and institutional factors. It is important to continuously monitor and benchmark our practice in order to reduce potentially unwarranted variations.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2002
DOI: 10.1046/J.1445-2197.2002.02371.X
Abstract: A retrospective survey of medical practitioners was conducted to describe the management of patients newly diagnosed with rectal cancer in 1994, prior to the publication of best practice guidelines. A s le of 908 patients with rectal cancer diagnosed between 1 January and 31 December 1994 was identified from the Victorian Cancer Registry. Questionnaires were then sent to the treating doctor(s) for completion. The topics covered by the questionnaires included: reported management by method of diagnosis staging investigations and treatment by surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Seven hundred and twenty-six (80%) of 908 eligible patients were surveyed. Surgery was the primary treatment in 681 (93.8%) with curative intent in 483 (70.9%) of these cases. One- third (163 33.7%) of curative cases were pathologically staged as Dukes' C. Almost all patients (96%) were symptomatic, and three-quarters were referred by general practitioners to 166 surgeons. One-third (221 32.5%) underwent liver computed tomography or ultrasound, and only three cases had transrectal ultrasound. Restorative anterior resection was the most common surgical procedure (431 63.3%) with 160 (23.5%) and 34 (5.0%) patients being managed with abdominoperineal resections and local excision, respectively. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy were administered as part of the initial management to 216 (31.7%) and 171 (25.1%) patients, respectively. In five of the 171 cases, radiotherapy was given preoperatively. There was considerable variation in preoperative assessment. Staging was less complete than expected by today's standards. The ersity of surgical techniques observed may reflect both the lack of clinical trials and disparity in surgical training and experience. Referral to stomal therapists, and medical and radiation oncologists was lower than would now be expected, as was the use and timing of adjuvant therapies. These findings will be useful as a baseline for comparison with subsequent surveys conducted since the introduction of evidence-based guidelines.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2008
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.CLGC.2015.12.016
Abstract: Our purpose was to: (1) assess the level of consistency between the quality-of-life (QOL) scores of men with prostate cancer for urinary/bowel/sexual bother, collected via telephone versus self-administered survey (2) determine factors associated with variation in level of agreement and (3) assess the efficacy of telephone interview as a mode of administration against the "gold standard" tool, EPIC-26. Cohen's Kappa coefficients were calculated to investigate test-retest reliability across modes of administration. Logistic regression models explored patients' characteristics associated with the magnitude of urinary/bowel/sexual problem. Sensitivities and specificities of the telephone mode in reference to "gold standard" were further measured. From 221 men who agreed to participate in the study, 168 (76.0%) returned completed surveys. Kappa-linear model resulted in a moderate agreement across the urinary/bowel/sexual bother scores for both modes of administration with greatest concordance recorded for bowel bother (90%). Patient's age (<75 years), disease risk, and active treatment type determined a moderate-to-good level of agreement between administration modalities with a Kappa varying between 0.44 and 0.73 χ(2), 8.18 P = .042. Sensitivity tests revealed that 68% of men with a moderate/big problem during the phone interviews would respond to suffering from a moderate/big sexual problem. Results of this pilot study revealed that QOL outcomes from this registry will likely underestimate the true bother experienced by men. More research is required to determine the differences between self-administered and telephone interviews in men with prostate cancer.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-03-2017
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-10-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.RADONC.2014.04.017
Abstract: Erectile function (EF) is commonly affected following prostate cancer treatment. We aim to evaluate the long-term EF following seed brachytherapy (BT) treatment. The study consisted of 366 patients treated with BT at our institution, who completed the IIEF-5 questionnaire and reported no or mild erectile dysfunction (ED) pre-BT. The probability of EF preservation post-BT was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier methods. The difference in EF preservation by patient-, tumour- and treatment-related factors was assessed using the log-rank test. Multivariate Cox regression was used to estimate the effect of each factor on EF preservation. Of the 366 patients, 277 (76%) reported normal EF, and 89 (24%) reported mild ED. The patients were followed-up for a median of 41 months (range: 3-124), and the 5-year actuarial rate of EF preservation was 59%. Age at BT seed implant, presence of medical comorbidities, Gleason score and the biologically effective dose (BED) are associated with EF preservation (P < 0.005). The association for these four factors remains statistically significant in multivariate analysis, with Gleason score having the strongest effect (HR = 3.7 95% CI = 2.6-5.4). The 5-year actuarial rate of EF preservation post-BT in our cohort is 59%, and is influenced by multiple factors.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.RADONC.2018.04.017
Abstract: Quality indicators (QIs) have been developed for many aspects of prostate cancer care, but are under-developed with regard to radiotherapy treatment. We aimed to develop a valid, relevant and feasible set of core QIs to measure quality of radiotherapy care in men with prostate cancer. We used a RAND-modified Delphi process to select QIs that were regarded as both important and feasible measures of quality radiotherapy care. This involved two phases: (1) a literature review to identify a list of proposed QIs and (2) a QI selection process by an expert panel (n = 12) conducted in a series of three rounds: two online questionnaires' and one face-to-face meeting. The RAND criterion identified variation in ratings and determined the level of agreement after each round of voting. A total of 144 candidate QIs, which included measures from pre-treatment to post-treatment and survivorship care were identified. After three rounds of voting, the panel approved a comprehensive set of 17 QIs, with most assessing a process of care (n = 16, 94.1%) and the remaining assessing a health outcome. This study developed a core set of 17 QIs which will be used to report from the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry-Australia & New Zealand, to monitor the quality of radiotherapy care prostate cancer patients receive.
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Date: 24-03-2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2016
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-02-2014
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.12618
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-06-2014
DOI: 10.1007/S00408-014-9603-8
Abstract: Lung cancer remains a major disease burden in Victoria (Australia) and requires a complex and multidisciplinary approach to ensure optimal care and outcomes. To date, no uniform mechanism is available to capture standardized population-based outcomes and thereby provide benchmarking. The establishment of such a data platform is, therefore, a primary requisite to enable description of process and outcome in lung cancer care and to drive improvement in the quality of care provided to in iduals with lung cancer. A disease quality registry pilot has been established to capture prospective data on all adult patients with clinical or tissue diagnoses of small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. Steering and management committees provide clinical governance and supervise quality indicator selection. Quality indicators were selected following extensive literature review and evaluation of established clinical practice guidelines. A minimum dataset has been established and training and data capture by data collectors is facilitated using a web-based portal. Case ascertainment is established by regular institutional reporting of ICD-10 discharge coding. Recruitment is optimized by provision of opt-out consent. The collection of a standardized minimum data set optimizes capacity for harmonized population-based data capture. Data collection has commenced in a variety of settings reflecting metropolitan and rural, and public, and private health care institutions. The data set provides scope for the construction of a risk-adjusted model for outcomes. A data access policy and a mechanism for escalation policy for outcome outliers has been established. The Victorian Lung Cancer Registry provides a unique capacity to provide and confirm quality assessment in lung cancer and to drive improvement in quality of care across multidisciplinary stakeholders.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 11-05-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2014
Publisher: AMPCo
Date: 05-2016
DOI: 10.5694/MJA15.01041
Abstract: To analyse the performance of the quality of prostate cancer (CaP) care over a 5-year period with reference to three quality indicators (QIs) reported by the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry-Victoria (PCOR-Vic):QI-1: Alignment with the modified Prostate Cancer Research International Active Surveillance (PRIAS) protocol guideline QI-2: Timeliness of CaP care for men with high risk and locally advanced disease QI-3: Positive surgical margins (PSMs) for organ-confined pathological T2 disease. Between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2013, 4708 men diagnosed with CaP who met the QI-1, QI-2 or QI-3 inclusion criteria were recruited from Victorian hospitals.Outcome measures and statistical analysis: Trend analysis was conducted to monitor performance according to QI-1, QI-2 and QI-3. We used the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model to account for any inherent autocorrelation in the data when analysing the monthly incidence of each indicator. Differences in the annual figures for the indicators across years were also analysed by aggregating data by year and applying the ARIMA model. There was a downward trend over the 5 years in the percentage of men with low risk disease who underwent active treatment (45% to 34% P = 0.024), an upward trend in the percentage of those with high risk and locally advanced disease who received active treatment within 12 months of diagnosis (88% to 93% P = 0.181), and a decline in PSM rate in men with pathological T2 disease after radical prostatectomy (21% to 12% P = 0.036). Limitations of the study include the fact that the improvement in the QIs was detected using PCOR-Vic as a single population, but there may be institutional variations in quality improvement. Over 2009-2013, the performance of the Victorian health system improved according to the three processes of care indicators reported by the PCOR-Vic.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-06-2017
DOI: 10.1038/PCAN.2017.28
Abstract: Radical prostatectomy is a common surgical procedure performed to treat prostate cancer. Patient-reported outcomes after surgery include urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, decreased quality of life and psychological effects. Predictive tools to assess the likelihood of an in idual experiencing various patient-reported outcomes have been developed to aid decision-making when selecting treatment. A systematic review was undertaken to identify all papers describing tools for the prediction of patient-reported outcome measures in men with prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy. To be eligible for inclusion, papers had to provide a summary measure of accuracy. PubMed and EMBASE were searched from July 2007. Title/abstract screening, and full-text review were undertaken by two reviewers, while data extraction and critical appraisal was performed by a single reviewer. The search strategy identified 3217 potential studies, of which 191 progressed to full-text review and 14 were included. From these studies, 27 tools in total were identified, of which 18 predicted urinary symptoms, six predicted erectile function and one predicted freedom from a group of three outcomes ('trifecta') (biochemical recurrence, incontinence and erectile dysfunction). On the basis of tool accuracy (>70%) and external validation, two tools predicting incontinence and two tools predicting erectile dysfunction are ready for implementation. A small number of tools for the prediction of patient-reported outcomes following radical prostatectomy have been developed. Four tools were found to have adequate accuracy and validation and are ready for implementation for the prediction of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-03-2013
DOI: 10.1002/PON.3269
Abstract: To evaluate the effects of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) on depression, anxiety and quality of life (QoL) in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) and to examine the relationship between meeting the National Physical Activity Guidelines of Australia (NPAGA) and the presence and severity of both psychological sequelae and physical side effects associated with ADT. A secondary purpose was to examine the predictors of depression, anxiety and QoL in patients with PCa. A questionnaire was mailed to English-speaking patients aged 40 to 80 years, who had received radiotherapy for PCa during 2010 and 2011, between 9 and 30 months prior to study initiation. Measures included the following: the International Physical Activity Questionnaire the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate and sociodemographic items. Long-term use of ADT was associated with poorer QoL and psychosocial well-being. Those meeting NPAGA had significantly lower levels of depression and anxiety and improved QoL compared with those not meeting NPAGA. Logistic regression analyses showed the odds of clinically significant depression and anxiety scores, increased with younger age and comorbid conditions. Not meeting NPAGA increased the likelihood of caseness for depression. Multiple regression analyses revealed that comorbid conditions and treatment category predicted poorer QoL, whereas meeting NPAGA positively predicted QoL. The use of ADT in the management of patients with PCa has a measurable effect on QoL. These findings support the utility of physical activity as an intervention for men undergoing ADT.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-01-2014
DOI: 10.1002/PROS.22760
Abstract: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) delivers brief electric pulses to attain non-thermal focal ablation that spares vasculature and other sensitive systems. It is a promising prostate cancer treatment due to sparing of the tissues associated with morbidity risk from conventional therapies. IRE effects depend on electric field strength and tissue properties. These characteristics are organ-dependent, affecting IRE treatment outcomes. This study characterizes the relevant properties to improve treatment planning and outcome predictions for IRE prostate cancer treatment. Clinically relevant IRE pulse protocols were delivered to a healthy canine and two human cancerous prostates while measuring electrical parameters to determine tissue characteristics for predictive treatment simulations. Prostates were resected 5 hr, 3 weeks, and 4 weeks post-IRE. Lesions were correlated with numerical simulations to determine an effective prostate lethal IRE electric field threshold. Lesions were produced in all subjects. Tissue electrical conductivity increased from 0.284 to 0.927 S/m due to IRE pulses. Numerical simulations show an average effective prostate electric field threshold of 1072 ± 119 V/cm, significantly higher than previously characterized tissues. Histological findings in the human cases show instances of complete tissue necrosis centrally with variable tissue effects beyond the margin. Preliminary experimental IRE trials safely ablated healthy canine and cancerous human prostates, as examined in the short- and medium-term. IRE-relevant prostate properties are now experimentally and numerically defined. Importantly, the electric field required to kill healthy prostate tissue is substantially higher than previously characterized tissues. These findings can be applied to optimize IRE prostate cancer treatment protocols.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 13-07-2021
Abstract: he supportive care needs of men with prostate cancer (PCa) have been well documented, but little is known about how an online portal may address these. o determine priority issues facing men with PCa, barriers and enablers to accessing care, format and organisation of information on a portal and whether health professionals (HPs) and men would support the inclusion of a patient-reported outcome (PRO) comparator tool within the portal. qualitative action research study was conducted. Data collection comprised four online focus groups with HPs recruited from four healthcare services in Victoria (3 metropolitan, 1 regional) and seven online co-design workshops with men with PCa, recruited through the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry – Victoria, Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia, and the Cancer Council Victoria. We invited men’s support persons to one workshop. Men were eligible to participate if they had lived experience of PCa and access to the internet. Focus groups were analysed thematically. Workshops were analysed using descriptive-content analysis. Ps (n=39) highlighted that men had shifting priorities over time but noted the importance of providing information to men in lay terms and in a variety of formats to assist in treatment decision-making and side effect management. HPs identified key enablers to men accessing support services such as practice nurses, partners and having men share their stories with each other. HPs raised financial, cultural, geographic and emotional barriers to accessing supportive care. Inclusion of a PRO compactor tool received mixed support from HPs with 41% (n=16) supportive, 49% (n=19) unsure and 10% (n=4) not supportive. Men involved in workshops (n=28) ranged from 55 to 82 years of age. One workshop included five female support persons. Men identified informational needs to assist in treatment decision-making and side effect management as the top priority throughout care. Similar to HPs, support groups and practice nurses were described as key enablers. Short consultation times and complex information were described as barriers. Unlike HPs, all men supported the inclusion of a PRO comparator tool into a portal. Men reported a preference for video and audio stories to deliver portal content. ur findings suggest that a patient support portal should provide information in lay terms that address the shifting priorities of men with PCa. While slight variations in the perspectives of HPs and men with PCa concerning the barriers and enablers to accessing care exist, these can be addressed in a portal. Men with PCa already use online support resources and would welcome the development of a portal to centralise support information and a PRO comparator tool to prompt health-seeking behaviour. Future research should implement these findings in the development of a portal, and pilot and evaluate the portal within a population-based s le.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-10-2018
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.14487
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-1991
DOI: 10.1016/S0936-6555(05)80885-4
Abstract: We report two cases of blindness occurring within 10 months of completion of radiation with 45 Gy in 1.80 Gy fractions given five times weekly. The literature on blindness as a complication of pituitary irradiation is reviewed. There have been no reported cases of total visual loss occurring as a consequence of treatment with fractional doses of less than 2 Gy. Visual loss due to radiation damage usually occurs within two years of completion of treatment in contrast to visual loss due to recurrence or empty sella syndrome, which usually occur more than two years after the completion of therapy. Other causes of blindness not related to the radiation, and potentially reversible, must be considered. However, these causes usually have a distinctively different clinical picture. Fraction size, total dose, and treatment time are all important factors when considering the biological effects of radiation to the pituitary region.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 22-01-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2016
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 04-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2016
Publisher: AMPCo
Date: 28-05-2018
DOI: 10.5694/MJA17.00559
Abstract: To characterise the practice of active surveillance (AS) for men with low risk prostate cancer by examining the characteristics of those who commence AS, the rate of adherence to accepted AS follow-up protocols over 2 years, and factors associated with good adherence. Design, setting: Retrospective cohort study analysis of data collected from 38 sites participating in the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry-Victoria. Men diagnosed with prostate cancer between August 2008 and December 2014 aged 75 years or less at diagnosis, managed by AS for at least 2 years, and with an ISUP grade group of 3 or less (Gleason score no worse than 4 + 3 = 7). Adherence to an AS schedule consisting of at least three PSA measurements and at least one biopsy in the 2 years following diagnosis. Of 1635 men eligible for inclusion in the analysis, 433 (26.5%) adhered to the AS protocol. The significant predictor of adherence in the multivariate model was being diagnosed in a private hospital (v public hospital: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.83 95% CI, 1.42-2.37 P < 0.001). Significant predictors of non-adherence included being diagnosed by transurethral resection of the prostate (v transrectal ultrasound biopsy [TRUS]: OR, 0.54 95% CI, 0.39-0.77 P < 0.001) or transperineal biopsy (v TRUS: OR, 0.32 95% CI, 0.19-0.52 P < 0.001), and being 66 years of age or more at diagnosis (v < 55 years: OR, 0.65 95% CI, 0.45-0.92 P = 0.015). Almost three-quarters of men who had prostate cancer with low risk of disease progression did not have follow-up investigations consistent with standard AS protocols. The clinical consequences of this shortcoming are unknown.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 11-2017
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2017-017006
Abstract: Globally, prostate cancer treatment and outcomes for men vary according to where they live, their race and the care they receive. The TrueNTH Global Registry project was established as an international registry monitoring care provided to men with localised prostate cancer (CaP). Sites with existing CaP databases in Movember fundraising countries were invited to participate in the international registry. In total, 25 Local Data Centres (LDCs) representing 113 participating sites across 13 countries have nominated to contribute to the project. It will collect a dataset based on the International Consortium for Health Outcome Measures (ICHOM) standardised dataset for localised CaP. A governance strategy has been developed to oversee registry operation, including transmission of reversibly anonymised data. LDCs are represented on the Project Steering Committee, reporting to an Executive Committee. A Project Coordination Centre and Data Coordination Centre (DCC) have been established. A project was undertaken to compare existing datasets, understand capacity at project commencement (baseline) to collect the ICHOM dataset and assist in determining the final data dictionary. 21/25 LDCs provided data dictionaries for review. Some ICHOM data fields were well collected (diagnosis, treatment start dates) and others poorly collected (complications, comorbidities). 17/94 (18%) ICHOM data fields were relegated to non-mandatory fields due to poor capture by most existing registries. Participating sites will transmit data through a web interface biannually to the DCC. Recruitment to the TrueNTH Global Registry-PCOR project will commence in late 2017 with sites progressively contributing reversibly anonymised data following ethical review in local regions. Researchers will have capacity to source deidentified data after the establishment phase. Quality indicators are to be established through a modified Delphi approach in later 2017, and it is anticipated that reports on performance against quality indicators will be provided to LDCs.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-02-2014
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.12509
Abstract: To describe the characteristics of patients with and without positive surgical margins (PSMs) and to analyse the impact of PSMs on secondary cancer treatment after radical prostatectomy (RP), with short-term follow-up. We analysed data from 2385 consecutive patients treated using RP, who were notified to the Prostate Cancer Registry by 37 hospitals in Victoria, Australia between August 2008 and February 2012. Independent and multivariate models were constructed to predict the likelihood of PSMs. Independent and multivariate predictors of secondary treatment after RP in the initial 12 months after diagnosis were also assessed. Data on PSM status were collected for 2219/2385 (93%) patients. In total 592/2175 (27.2%) RPs resulted in PSMs 102/534 (19.1%) in the low-risk group, 317/1218 (26.0%) in the intermediate-risk group, 153/387 (39.5%) in the high-risk group, and 9/11 (81.8%) in the very-high-risk disease group of patients. Patients having surgery in a hospital where <10 RPs occur each year were significantly more likely to have a PSM (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.93) and those in the intermediate-, high- or very-high-risk groups (IRR 1.34, 95% CI 1.09-1.65, P = 0.007, IRR 1.96, 95% CI 1.57-2.45, P < 0.001 and IRR 3.81, 95% CI 2.60-5.60, P < 0.001, respectively) were significantly more likely to have a PSM than those in the low-risk group (IRR 2.50, 95% CI 1.23-5.11, P = 0.012). Patients with PSMs were significantly less likely to have been treated at a private hospital than a public hospital (IRR 0.76, 95% CI 0.63-0.93, P = 0.006) or to have undergone robot-assisted RP (IRR 0.69, 95% CI 0.55-0.87 P = 0.002) than open RP. Of the 2182 patients who underwent RP in the initial 12 months after diagnosis, 1987 (91.1%) received no subsequent treatment, 123 (5.6%) received radiotherapy, 47 (2.1%) received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and 23 (1.1%) received a combination of radiotherapy and ADT. Two patients (0.1%) received chemotherapy combined with another treatment. At a multivariate level, predictors of additional treatment after RP in the initial 12 months included having a PSM compared with a negative surgical margin (odds ratio [OR] 5.61, 95% CI 3.82-8.22, P < 0.001) pT3 compared with pT2 disease (OR 4.72, 95% CI 2.69-8.23, P < 0.001) and having high- or very-high-risk disease compared with low-risk disease (OR 4.36, 95% CI 2.24-8.50, P < 0.001 and OR 4.50, 95% CI 1.34-15.17, P = 0.015, respectively). Patient age, hospital location and hospital type were not associated with secondary treatment. Patients undergoing robot-assisted RP were significantly less likely to receive additional treatment than those receiving open RP (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.39-0.88, P = 0.010). These data indicate an important association between hospital status and PSMs, with patients who underwent RP in private hospitals less likely than those in public hospitals to have a PSM. Patients treated in lower-volume hospitals were more likely to have a PSM and less likely to receive additional treatment after surgery in the initial 12 months, and robot-assisted RP was associated with fewer PSMs than was open RP in this non-randomized observational study. PSM status and pathological T3 disease are both important and independent predictors of secondary cancer treatment for patients undergoing RP. A robot-assisted RP approach appears to decrease the likelihood of subsequent treatment, when compared with the open approach.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2007
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJROBP.2006.07.1382
Abstract: Long-term biochemical relapse-free survival (BRFS) rates in patients with clinical Stages T1-T3 prostate cancer continue to be scrutinized after treatment with external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy. We report 15-year BRFS rates on 223 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer that were consecutively treated with I(125) or Pd (103) brachytherapy after 45-Gy neoadjuvant EBRT. Multivariate regression analysis was used to create a pretreatment clinical prognostic risk model using a modified American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology consensus definition (two consecutive serum prostate-specific antigen rises) as the outcome. Gleason scoring was performed by the pathologists at a community hospital. Time to biochemical failure was calculated and compared by using Kaplan-Meier plots. Fifteen-year BRFS for the entire treatment group was 74%. BRFS using the Memorial Sloan-Kettering risk cohort analysis (95% confidence interval): low risk, 88%, intermediate risk 80%, and high risk 53%. Grouping by the risk classification described by D'Amico, the BRFS was: low risk 85.8%, intermediate risk 80.3%, and high risk 67.8% (p = 0.002). I(125) or Pd(103) brachytherapy combined with supplemental EBRT results in excellent 15-year biochemical control. Different risk group classification schemes lead to different BRFS results in the high-risk group cohorts.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-2014
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-10-2021
DOI: 10.1002/PON.5833
Abstract: Feeling depressed and lethargic are common side effects of prostate cancer (PCa) and its treatments. We examined the incidence and severity of feeling depressed and lack of energy in patients in a population based PCa registry. We included men diagnosed with PCa between 2015 and 2019 in Victoria, Australia, and enrolled in the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry. The primary outcome measures were responses to two questions on the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC‐26) patient reported instrument: problems with feeling depressed and problems with lack of energy 12 months following treatment. We evaluated associations between these and age, cancer risk category, treatment type, and urinary, bowel, and sexual function. Both outcome questions were answered by 9712 out of 12,628 (77%) men. 981 patients (10%) reported at least moderate problems with feeling depressed 1563 (16%) had at least moderate problems with lack of energy and 586 (6.0%) with both. Younger men reported feeling depressed more frequently than older men. Lack of energy was more common for treatments that included androgen deprivation therapy than not (moderate/big problems: 31% vs. 13%), irrespective of disease risk category. Both outcomes were associated with poorer urinary, bowel, and sexual functional domain scores. Self‐reported depressive feelings and lack of energy were frequent in this population‐based registry. Problems with feeling depressed were more common in younger men and lack of energy more common in men having hormonal treatment. Clinicians should be aware of the incidence of these symptoms in these at‐risk groups and be able to screen for them.
Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc
Date: 07-2015
Abstract: To determine the oncologic and complication outcomes of treatment of patients with localized prostate cancer by high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for primary management of prostate cancer in a whole of population, multiuser series. We created a centralized database-accessible only by nonurologist researchers-within a cancer epidemiology center, after ethics approval from that institution. A single researcher prospectively entered baseline, treatment, and clinical/biochemical follow-up data from all patients treated with HIFU in the state of Victoria over the study period. We accrued 108 patients, of whom 103 had been staged as having clinically localized disease. Ninety-three patients (86.1%) had low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Forty-four patients (40.5%) had persistent mild urinary incontinence at 3 months after treatment, and 3 of these ultimately underwent further surgical procedures to correct incontinence. Twenty-seven patients (25%) additionally experienced occasions of urinary retention in the first 3 months after treatment because of passage of tissue. Twenty-nine patients had achieved a prostate-specific antigen level of <0.2 ng/mL at 3 months after HIFU. Fifty-six patients underwent post-HIFU prostate biopsy, and this was positive for residual cancer in 51 cases. Forty-five of the patients who had a positive post-HIFU biopsy underwent secondary treatment for prostate cancer. Oncologic control and complication outcomes in this cohort were inferior to those previously reported for HIFU in single-user series. Given the population-based multiuser nature of our series, we believe our observations are more likely to reflect the community outcomes that might be expected from widespread adoption of HIFU than generalizing from single-operator series.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-02-2014
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.12623
Abstract: To test the hypothesis that observation with early salvage radiotherapy (SRT) is not inferior to 'standard' treatment with adjuvant RT (ART) with respect to biochemical failure in patients with pT3 disease and/or positive surgical margins (SMs) after radical prostatectomy (RP). To compare the following secondary endpoints between the two arms: patient-reported outcomes, adverse events, biochemical failure-free survival, overall survival, disease-specific survival, time to distant failure, time to local failure, cost utility analysis, quality adjusted life years and time to androgen deprivation. The Radiotherapy - Adjuvant Versus Early Salvage (RAVES) trial is a phase III multicentre randomised controlled trial led by the Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG), in collaboration with the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ), and the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Cancer Trials Group (ANZUP). In all, 470 patients are planned to be randomised 1:1 to either ART commenced at ≤4 months of RP (standard of care) or close observation with early SRT triggered by a PSA level of >0.20 ng/mL (experimental arm). Eligible patients have had a RP for adenocarcinoma of the prostate with at least one of the following risk factors: positive SMs ± extraprostatic extension ± seminal vesicle involvement. The postoperative PSA level must be ≤0.10 ng/mL. Rigorous investigator credentialing and a quality assurance programme are designed to promote consistent RT delivery among patients. Trial is currently underway, with 258 patients randomised as of 31 October 2013. International collaborations have developed, including a planned meta-analysis to be undertaken with the UK Medical Research Council/National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group RADICALS (Radiotherapy and Androgen Deprivation In Combination with Local Surgery) trial and an innovative psycho-oncology sub-study to investigate a patient decision aid resource. On the current evidence available, it remains unclear if ART is equivalent or superior to observation with early SRT.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2004
DOI: 10.1016/J.RADONC.2004.07.026
Abstract: To assess factors related to the risk of acute urinary retention and other morbidity indices in patients undergoing transperineal seed implantation of the prostate. One hundred and seventy-three consecutive patients treated with (125)Iodine transperineal interstitial permanent prostate brachytherapy (TIPPB) were evaluated. Various demographic, pathological, symptomatic, urodynamic and dosimetric values were assessed in relation to the incidence of acute urinary retention as well as the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) dynamics. Patients were routinely placed on alpha-blockade postimplant. Dosimetry was based on CT scan one month postimplant. Acute urinary retention developed in thirty-four patients (19.7%), at a median time of four days. Peak urinary flow rate was the only independent factor which varied significantly between those suffering retention and those not (median of 16 and 19.5 ml/s respectively, P=0.005). Median preimplant IPSS was 4.0, with a median peak of 16 at 3 months. Actuarial median time to return to baseline IPSS was at 15 months. The peak IPSS above preimplant levels was correlated significantly in multivariate analysis with the number of seeds implanted superior to the physician-nominated anatomical base level of the prostate (P<0.009), as well as lower preimplant IPSS values. In our series, preimplant urinary flow rate was the most important factor predictive of postimplant acute urinary retention. The patients' risk of having heightened IPSS change following implantation was correlated to a lower preimplant IPSS and an increased number of seeds implanted above the level of the prostatic base, possibly reflecting bladder base rather than urethral irritation in the development of acute urinary morbidity.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-2008
DOI: 10.1111/J.1440-1673.2008.02026.X
Abstract: Before a multicentre trial of 3-D conformal radiotherapy to treat cancer of the pancreas, participating clinicians were asked to complete an accreditation exercise. This involved planning two test cases according to the study protocol, then returning hard copies of the plans and dosimetric data for review. Any radiation technique that achieved the specified constraints was allowed. Eighteen treatment plans were assessed. Seven plans were prescribed incorrect doses and two of the planning target volumes did not comply with protocol guidelines. All plans met predefined normal tissue dose constraints. The identified errors were attributable to unforeseen ambiguities in protocol documentation. They were addressed by feedback and corresponding amendments to protocol documentation. Summary radiobiological measures including total weighted normal tissue equivalent uniform dose varied significantly between centres. This accreditation exercise successfully identified significant potential sources of protocol violations, which were then easily corrected. We believe that this process should be applied to all clinical trials involving radiotherapy. Due to the limitations of data analysis with hard-copy information only, it is recommended that complete planning datasets from treatment-planning systems be collected through a digital submission process.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 20-01-2022
Abstract: Since 2017, the TrueNTH Global Registry (TNGR) has aimed to drive improvement in patient outcomes for in iduals with localized prostate cancer by collating data from healthcare institutions across 13 countries. As TNGR matures, a systematic evaluation of existing processes and documents is necessary to evaluate whether the registry is operating as intended. The main supporting documents: protocol and data dictionary, were comprehensively reviewed in a series of meetings over a 10-month period by an international working group. In parallel, in idual consultations with local institutions regarding a benchmarking quality-of-care report were conducted. Four consensus areas for improvement emerged: updating operational definitions, appraisal of the recruitment process, refinement of data elements, and improvement of data quality and reporting. Recommendations presented were drawn from our collective experience and accumulated knowledge in operating an international registry. These can be readily generalized to other health-related reporting programs beyond clinical registries.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.BRACHY.2017.08.004
Abstract: High-dose-rate (HDR) prostate brachytherapy treatment is usually delivered in one or a few large dose fractions. Poor execution of a planned treatment could have significant clinical impact, as high doses are delivered in seconds, and mistakes in an in idual fraction cannot be easily rectified. Given that most potential errors in HDR brachytherapy ultimately lead to a geographical miss, a more direct approach to verification of correct treatment delivery is to directly monitor the position of the source throughout the treatment. In this work, we report on the clinical implementation of our treatment verification system that uniquely combines the 2D source-tracking capability with 2D pretreatment imaging, using a single flat panel detector (FPD). The clinical brachytherapy treatment couch was modified to allow integration of the FPD into the couch. This enabled the patient to be set up in the brachytherapy bunker in a position that closely matched that at treatment planning imaging. An anteroposterior image was acquired of the patient immediately before treatment delivery and was assessed by the Radiation Oncologist online, to reestablish the positions of the catheters relative to the prostate. Assessment of catheter positions was performed in the left-right and superior-inferior directions along the entire catheter length and throughout the treatment volume. Source tracking was then performed during treatment delivery, and the measured position of the source dwells were directly compared to the treatment plan for verification. The treatment verification system was integrated into the clinical environment without significant change to workflow. Two patient cases are presented in this work to provide clinical ex les of this system, which is now in routine use for all patient treatments in our clinic. The catheter positions were visualized relative to the prostate, immediately before treatment delivery. For one of the patient cases presented in this work, they agreed with the treatment plan on average by 1.5 mm and were identifiable as a predominantly inferior shift. The source tracking was performed during treatment delivery, and for the same case, the mean deviation from the planned dwell positions was 1.9 mm (max = 4.9 mm) for 280 positions across all catheters. We have implemented our noninvasive treatment verification system based on an FPD in the clinical environment. The device is integrated into a patient treatment couch, and the process is now included in the routine clinical treatment procedure with minor impact on workflow. The system which combines both 2D pretreatment imaging and HDR 2D source tracking provides a range of information that can be used for comprehensive treatment verification. The system has the potential to meaningfully improve safety standards by allowing widespread adoption of routine treatment verification in HDR brachytherapy.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-12-2018
Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) boost with definitive external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in prostate cancer (CaP) management. The study population comprised men with intermediate-high risk CaP captured in the population-based Prostate Cancer Outcome Registry Victoria (PCOR-Vic), treated with EBRT from January 2010 to December 2015. The primary outcome is the proportion of men who received HDR-BT boost. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to evaluate the effect of patient-, tumour- and treatment-factors on the likelihood of HDR-BT use. Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) data was accessed to evaluate the Australia-wide pattern of HDR-BT use. One thousand eight hundred and six patients were included in this study - 886 (49%) intermediate-risk, and 920 (51%) high-risk CaP patients. Overall, only 124 (7%) patients had EBRT + HDR-BT - 47 (5%) intermediate-risk and 77 (8%) high-risk CaP patients (P = 0.01). There is higher proportion of patients who had HDR-BT in public institutions (7% public vs. 3% private, P = 0.005) and in metropolitan centres (9% metropolitan vs. 2% regional, P < 0.001). In multivariate analyses, older patients were less likely to have HDR-BT (OR = 0.92 95% CI = 0.89-0.94, P < 0.001), while patients with high-risk CaP (OR = 1.8 95% CI = 1.3-2.7 P = 0.002) treated in metropolitan centres (OR = 5.0 95% CI = 2.6-9.8 P < 0.001) and public institutions (OR = 3.8 95% CI = 1.5-9.4 P = 0.005) were more likely to have EBRT + HDR-BT. There was significant decline in numbers of HDR-BT performed throughout Australia, from 313 cases in 2010 to 125 cases in 2015. High-dose-rate brachytherapy is under-utilised with EBRT in this contemporary population-based cohort of Victorian men with CaP. The decline in HDR-BT use was also observed nationally.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2014
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 06-2022
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2021-060189
Abstract: The aim of this preplanned secondary analysis of a 12-month randomised controlled trial was to investigate the effects of a multicomponent exercise programme combined with daily whey protein, calcium and vitamin D supplementation on cognition in men with prostate cancer treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). 12-month, two-arm, randomised controlled trial. University clinical exercise centre. 70 ADT-treated men were randomised to exercise-training plus supplementation (Ex+ Suppl, n=34) or usual care (control, n=36). Men allocated to Ex + Suppl undertook thrice weekly resistance training with weight-bearing exercise training plus daily whey protein (25 g), calcium (1200 mg) and vitamin D (2000 IU) supplementation. Cognition was assessed at baseline, 6 and 12 months via a computerised battery (CogState), Trail-making test, Rey auditory-verbal learning test and Digit span. Data were analysed with linear mixed models and an intention-to-treat and prespecified per-protocol approach (exercise-training: ≥66%, nutritional supplement: ≥80%). Sixty (86%) men completed the trial (Ex + Suppl, n=31 control, n=29). Five (7.1%) men were classified as having mild cognitive impairment at baseline. Median (IQR) adherence to the exercise and supplement was 56% (37%–82%) and 91% (66%–97%), respectively. Ex + Suppl had no effect on cognition at any time. A 12-month multicomponent exercise training and supplementation intervention had no significant effect on cognition in men treated with ADT for prostate cancer compared with usual care. Exercise training adherence below recommended guidelines does not support cognitive health in men treated with ADT for prostate cancer. Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12614000317695, registered 25/03/2014) and acknowledged under the Therapeutic Goods Administration Clinical Trial Notification Scheme (CT-2015-CTN-03372-1 v1).
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Date: 27-06-2018
Abstract: To provide recommendations for the selection of radiobiological parameters for prostate cancer treatment planning. Recommendations were based on validation of the previously published values, parameter estimation and a consideration of their sensitivity within a tumour control probability (TCP) model using clinical outcomes data from low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy. The proposed TCP model incorporated radiosensitivity (α) heterogeneity and a non-uniform distribution of clonogens. The clinical outcomes data included 849 prostate cancer patients treated with LDR brachytherapy at four Australian centres between 1995 and 2012. Phoenix definition of biochemical failure was used. Validation of the published values from four selected literature and parameter estimation was performed with a maximum likelihood estimation method. Each parameter was varied to evaluate the change in calculated TCP to quantify the sensitivity of the model to its radiobiological parameters. Using a previously published parameter set and a total clonogen number of 196 000 provided TCP estimates that best described the patient cohort. Fitting of all parameters with a maximum likelihood estimation was not possible. Variations in prostate TCP ranged from 0.004% to 0.67% per 1% change in each parameter. The largest variation was caused by the log-normal distribution parameters for α (mean, [Formula: see text], and standard deviation, σ
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-04-2022
DOI: 10.1111/HEX.13444
Abstract: The supportive care needs of men with prostate cancer (PCa) have been well documented, but little is known about how an online portal may address these. This study sought to determine priority issues facing men with PCa, barriers and enablers to accessing care and whether health professionals (HPs) and men would support the inclusion of a patient‐reported outcome (PRO) comparator tool. We conducted four online focus groups with HPs recruited from healthcare services in Victoria, followed by seven online codesign workshops with men with PCa, recruited through the Victorian Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry, Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia and the Cancer Council Victoria. Men were eligible to participate if they had lived experience of PCa and access to the internet. We analysed focus groups thematically. Workshops were analysed using descriptive‐content analysis. HPs ( n = 39) highlighted that men had shifting priorities over time, but noted the importance of providing information to men in lay terms to assist in treatment decision‐making and side‐effect management. HPs identified key enablers to men accessing support services such as practice nurses, partners and having men share their stories with each other. HPs raised financial, cultural, geographic and emotional barriers to accessing supportive care. Inclusion of a PRO comparator tool received mixed support from HPs, with 41% ( n = 16) supportive, 49% ( n = 19) unsure and 10% ( n = 4) not supportive. Men involved in workshops ( n = 28) identified informational needs to assist in treatment decision‐making and side‐effect management as the top priority throughout care. Men described support groups and practice nurses as key enablers. Short consultation times and complex information were described as barriers. Unlike HPs, all men supported the inclusion of a PRO comparator tool in a portal. Our findings suggest that a patient support portal should provide information in lay terms that address the shifting priorities of men with PCa. Men with PCa would welcome the development of a portal to centralize support information and a PRO comparator tool to prompt health‐seeking behaviour. Future research will implement these findings in the development of a portal, and pilot and evaluate the portal within a population‐based s le. This project adopted a codesign approach including both men with PCa and HPs involved in PCa care. Men with PCa also formed part of the study's steering committee and consumer advisory groups. HPs were consulted in a serious of online focus groups. Subsequently, men with PCa and their support persons participated in workshops. Men with PCa were also involved in the preparation of this manuscript.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-10-2013
DOI: 10.1118/1.4823758
Abstract: Accurate treatment delivery in high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy requires correct source dwell positions and dwell times to be administered relative to each other and to the surrounding anatomy. Treatment delivery inaccuracies predominantly occur for two reasons: (i) anatomical movement or (ii) as a result of human errors that are usually related to incorrect implementation of the planned treatment. Electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) were originally developed for patient position verification in external beam radiotherapy and their application has been extended to provide dosimetric information. The authors have characterized the response of an EPID for use with an (192)Ir brachytherapy source to demonstrate its use as a verification device, providing both source position and dosimetric information. Characterization of the EPID response using an (192)Ir brachytherapy source included investigations of reproducibility, linearity with dose rate, photon energy dependence, and charge build-up effects associated with exposure time and image acquisition time. Source position resolution in three dimensions was determined. To illustrate treatment verification, a simple treatment plan was delivered to a phantom and the measured EPID dose distribution compared with the planned dose. The mean absolute source position error in the plane parallel to the EPID, for dwells measured at 50, 100, and 150 mm source to detector distances (SDD), was determined to be 0.26 mm. The resolution of the z coordinate (perpendicular distance from detector plane) is SDD dependent with 95% confidence intervals of ± 0.1, ± 0.5, and ± 2.0 mm at SDDs of 50, 100, and 150 mm, respectively. The response of the EPID is highly linear to dose rate. The EPID exhibits an over-response to low energy incident photons and this nonlinearity is incorporated into the dose calibration procedure. A distance (spectral) dependent dose rate calibration procedure has been developed. The difference between measured and planned dose is less than 2% for 98.0% of pixels in a two-dimensional plane at an SDD of 100 mm. Our application of EPID dosimetry to HDR brachytherapy provides a quality assurance measure of the geometrical distribution of the delivered dose as well as the source positions, which is not possible with any current HDR brachytherapy verification system.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2004
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJROBP.2004.04.048
Abstract: To assess the impact of pretreatment prognostic factors plus subsequent biochemical failure on overall survival after radiotherapy for prostate cancer. We analyzed the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and survival records of 1571 men with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy monotherapy at the former Queensland Radium Institute between 1990 and 1997. The pretreatment PSA level, biopsy Gleason score, clinical stage, patient age, and the development of biochemical failure were assessed in relationship to overall survival and cause-specific survival, using fixed, as well as time-dependent, statistics. The median follow-up was 88.1 months (95 months for those still alive). The actuarial overall survival, cause-specific survival, and biochemical failure-free survival rate at 10 years was 61.1%, 80.9%, and 25.9% respectively. Cause-specific survival was independently influenced by the pretreatment PSA level, Gleason score, clinical stage, and the development of biochemical failure (relative risk, 19.1). Using the overall survival endpoint, multivariate analysis showed age, pretreatment PSA level, Gleason score, and biochemical failure (relative risk 1.27) to be statistically significant variables. In addition to previously identified factors, the pretreatment PSA level and occurrence of biochemical failure after radiotherapy for prostate cancer are associated with an increased overall mortality risk. Both pretreatment PSA level and posttreatment biochemical failure are independent predictors of overall survival after radiotherapy for prostate cancer.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-05-2018
DOI: 10.1111/ANS.13954
Abstract: The Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment Post-Surgical (CAPRA-S) score is a simple post-operative risk assessment tool predicting disease recurrence after radical prostatectomy, which is easily calculated using available clinical data. To be widely useful, risk tools require multiple external validations. We aimed to validate the CAPRA-S score in an Australian multi-institutional population, including private and public settings and reflecting community practice. The study population were all men on the South Australian Prostate Cancer Clinical Outcomes Collaborative Database with localized prostate cancer diagnosed during 1998-2013, who underwent radical prostatectomy without adjuvant therapy (n = 1664). Predictive performance was assessed via Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional regression analyses, Harrell's Concordance index, calibration plots and decision curve analysis. Biochemical recurrence occurred in 342 (21%) cases. Five-year recurrence-free probabilities for CAPRA-S scores indicating low (0-2), intermediate (3-5) and high risk were 95, 79 and 46%, respectively. The hazard ratio for CAPRA-S score increments was 1.56 (95% confidence interval 1.49-1.64). The Concordance index for 5-year recurrence-free survival was 0.77. The calibration plot showed good correlation between predicted and observed recurrence-free survival across scores. Limitations include the retrospective nature and small numbers with higher CAPRA-S scores. The CAPRA-S score is an accurate predictor of recurrence after radical prostatectomy in our cohort, supporting its utility in the Australian setting. This simple tool can assist in post-surgical selection of patients who would benefit from adjuvant therapy while avoiding morbidity among those less likely to benefit.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-2010
DOI: 10.1111/J.1754-9485.2010.02172.X
Abstract: In this study we estimated (a) the number of linear accelerators required in Australia and New Zealand to achieve a 52.3% treatment rate (b) the 'GAP' between the actual and required number of linear accelerators c) the number of persons not treated (PNT), premature deaths (PD) and years of life lost (YLL) as a result of the 'GAP' and (d) to review the actions being taken by health jurisdictions in Australia and in New Zealand to address the 'GAP' and reach the 52.3% treatment rate. The actual number of fully staffed and operating linear accelerators (A) in Australian and New Zealand was obtained from a survey of radiotherapy facilities in December 2009. The required number of linear accelerators (R) was calculated from the projected cancer incidence figures for 2009 and was based on 1.6 linear accelerators being required per 1000 new cancer patients. The 'GAP' in Radiotherapy services (G) was R minus A. The maximum treatment capacity (MTC) was the ratio of A over R multiplied by 52.3%, assuming that all linear accelerators were operating at 100% capacity. As each linear accelerator can treat 331 new patients each year, the number of new cancer PNT is G x 331. The estimated 5-year survival benefit from radiotherapy is 16%, and the average survival for all patients receiving radiotherapy (radical and palliative) is 0.76 year. Hence, the number of PD attributed to the 'GAP' is PNT x 16%, and the YLL to cancer is PNT x 0.76. A literature search and local knowledge of health department Radiotherapy Plans in all jurisdictions were used to determine the action being taken to achieve a 52.3% treatment rate. In 2009, the 'GAP' was 50 linear accelerators in Australia and the MTC was 38%, the same as it was in 1999, but there has been an increase in PNT each year from 7419 in 1999 to 16,550 in 2009, and PD each year increased from 1187 in 1999 to 2649 in 2009, and YLL each year increased from 5638 in 1999 to 12,585 in 2009. In New Zealand in 2009, the 'GAP' was nine linear accelerators and the MTC was 38%. An estimated 3310 persons did not receive radiotherapy in 2009 in New Zealand, and as a result, there were 523 PD and 2266 YLL. The review showed that new and replacement machines were being installed in all jurisdictions in Australia and in New Zealand. Only Victoria and Queensland have a Radiotherapy Plan beyond 2010, but both have underestimated the projected cancer incidence. Urgent action is needed by health departments and governments on both sides of the Tasman to improve access and equity to this essential cancer treatment. There is merit in the Baume Report recommendation of establishing a national body to oversee radiotherapy services in all jurisdictions in Australia. A similar central body should also be considered for New Zealand.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJROBP.2009.01.027
Abstract: Men with cryptorchism can have aberrant abdominopelvic lymph node (LN) drainage or a different natural history if they develop Stage I seminoma. If so, the nodal echelons for metastases will not be reliable, and adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) would not be an ideal strategy. Two prospectively maintained oncology databases were reviewed for men with a history of testicular seminoma and cryptorchidism. The primary endpoint was the 5-year relapse-free rate. A total of 23 men were identified, most (n = 13) had had a tumor in a scrotal location after orchiopexy. After orchiectomy, 5 men were managed with surveillance, and 18 underwent RT to a median dose of 25 Gy (range, 20-30 Gy). All the radiation fields included the para-aortic LNs, and 13 included the ipsilateral pelvic LNs. After a median follow-up of 64 months (range, 2-148), 2 patients developed a relapse. One did so 4 months into a surveillance program in the para-aortic and ipsilateral pelvic LNs, sites that would have been treated had he undergone RT. The other patient developed a relapse in the contralateral testis 46 months after having undergone RT. It is likely that the latter patient had a metachronous primary rather than a relapse hence, the 5-year relapse-free rate was 80% for surveillance and 100% for RT. Both patients underwent successful salvage treatment, and all patients were disease free and alive at the last follow-up visit. A history of cryptorchism does not appear to confer a greater risk of relapse for men with Stage I seminoma managed with radiotherapy. RT, surveillance, and adjuvant carboplatin chemotherapy are treatment options for these patients.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-08-2017
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.13969
Abstract: To evaluate the pattern of use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with definitive radiotherapy (RT) in men with prostate cancer (PCa) in a population-based study in Australia. This is a prospective cohort of men with intermediate- and high-risk PCa, captured in the population-based Prostate Cancer Outcome Registry Victoria, who were treated with definitive prostate RT between January 2010 and December 2015. The primary outcome of interest was ADT utilization. Chi-squared test for trend was used to evaluate the temporal trend in the use of ADT over the study period. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to evaluate the effects of patient-, tumour- and treatment-related factors, and treatment institutions (public/ private and metropolitan/ regional) on the likelihood of ADT utilization. A total of 1806 men were included in the study, 199 of whom (11%) had favourable National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) intermediate-risk disease (i.e. only one intermediate-risk feature, primary Gleason grade 3, and <50% biopsy core involved), 687 (38%) had unfavourable NCCN intermediate-risk disease, and 920 (51%) had high-risk disease. Of the 1806 men, 1155 (64%) received ADT with RT. Men with NCCN high-risk PCa (84%) were more likely to have ADT than men with favourable NCCN intermediate-risk (32%) and unfavourable NCCN intermediate-risk (46%) PCa (P < 0.001). Men treated in public institutions (66%, vs 47% in private institutions P < 0.001) and regional centres (78%, vs 59% in metropolitan institutions P < 0.001) were more likely to receive ADT. There was a trend towards an increase in ADT utilization from 50% in 2010 to 64% in 2015 (P < 0.001). In multivariate analyses (adjusting for age, tumour-related factors, year of treatment and use of brachytherapy boost), treatment institution (public and regional) remained independently associated with increased likelihood of ADT utilization. Men with intermediate-risk PCa treated in regional and public institutions were 2.7 times (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9-3.9 P < 0.001) and 2.8 times (95% CI 1.4-5.3 P = 0.002), more likely to receive ADT with RT, respectively, while men with high-risk PCa treated in regional and public institutions were 3.1 times (95% CI 1.7-5.7 P < 0.001) and 3.0 times (95% CI 1.7-5.4 P < 0.001), more likely to receive ADT with RT, respectively. This is the largest Australasian contemporary series reporting on the pattern of use of ADT with definitive prostate RT. While there was an increasing trend towards use of ADT over time, ADT still appeared to be underutilized in certain groups of patients who may benefit from ADT, with approximately one in five men with high-risk and one in two with unfavourable intermediate-risk PCa not receiving ADT with RT. There was notable variation in the use of ADT between public vs private and metropolitan vs regional institutions.
Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Date: 2018
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-2013
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2015
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.13209
Abstract: To describe the incidence, morbidity and mortality of men who developed infectious complications requiring hospital admission following TRUS prostate biopsy in Victoria, Australia. Further it aimed to report the financial cost of these admissions. The Department of Health's Victorian Admitted Episodes Data Set was used to identify those patients who underwent TRUS biopsy in Victoria who were subsequently readmitted within 7 days to any Victorian hospital with infective complications from July 2007 to June 2012. All Victorian public and private hospitals were included. Patients were excluded if their biopsy was performed during a multi-day admission. Financial costing data was obtained where available from the Department Of Health and Human Services for readmissions with post-TRUS infection where available and adjusted to 2012 prices. Institutional ethics committee approval was granted for this study. Thirty-four thousand eight hundred and sixty-five TRUS biopsies were performed in the 5-year period. 1276 (3.66%) were readmitted to a Victorian hospital within 7 days. 604 (1.73%) of these were readmitted with a biopsy-related infection. No significant trend in sepsis rates was seen in 5 years. The median readmission LOS was 4 days. The total burden of readmissions was 3 686 days over 5 years. One patient readmitted with a biopsy related infection died during that episode of care. 20 051 (57.51%) of biopsies resulted in a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Financial costing data was available for 218 (36%) of infectious readmissions with a mean cost per readmission were $7 362 AUD (£4137 or $6844 USD, 95% CI $6219-8505 AUD) or $1 256 AUD per day. Infection following TRUS biopsy was associated with a readmission rate for infection of 1 in 57 biopsies, an excess of 3 686 bed days required over 5 years with a cost of $1 256 AUD per day. The rate of infection remained stable for the period examined.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-01-2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1016/J.BRACHY.2009.04.007
Abstract: To report long-term outcomes for treatment of prostate cancer using dose escalation with high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy and 3-dimensional conformal external beam radiotherapy (3DCRT), and compare them with outcomes for treatment of prostate cancer with 3DCRT alone at the same institution. From 1998 to 2003, 587 patients were treated for clinically localized prostate cancer. Patients received either 3DCRT (median, 46Gy) with a single HDR brachytherapy implant (196 patients) delivering a fractionated dose of 18Gy (combined group) or 3DCRT (median, 70Gy 387 patients "3DCRT alone"). There were 41.9% patients with intermediate-risk and 42.6% with high-risk disease. In all, 441 patients (75.1%) received neoadjuvant and 116 patients (19.8%) received adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy. The American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology Phoenix definition for biochemical failure was used. The median followup was 5.5 years. The 5- and 7-year biochemical control (BC) rates were 82.5% and 80.3%, respectively, for the combined group and 81.3% and 71%, respectively, for 3DCRT alone for overall survival, they were 91.9% and 89.5% vs. 88.7% and 86.2%, respectively, whereas for cause-specific survival, they were 96.9% and 96.1% vs. 97.6% and 96.2%, respectively. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis for BC revealed that low Gleason grade, HDR brachytherapy combined with 3DCRT, and adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy were significant in predicting BC. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Grade 3 late urinary and rectal morbidity rates were 7.1% and 0%, respectively. No Grade > or =4 reactions were detected. HDR brachytherapy combined with 3DCRT was associated with improved BC and minimal toxicity in patients with unfavorable prostate cancer compared with conventional 3DCRT.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2015
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.13049
Abstract: To ascertain the treatment trends and patterns of care, for men with prostate cancer on active surveillance (AS) in Victoria, Australia. De-identified data was obtained for 6424 men from the Victorian Prostate Cancer Registry. Men included in this study were diagnosed with prostate cancer from 2008 to August 2012 with ≥ 12-months of follow-up. Patients were stratified using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) risk grouping system and those who were not actively treated were identified. Data was acquired to describe the trends and uptake of AS according to public vs private hospital sector, and regional vs metropolitan regions. In all, 1603/6424 (24.9%) men received no treatment with curative intent at 12-months follow-up. This cohort included patients in whom the chosen management plan was recorded as AS (980/1603, 61.1%), watchful waiting (341/1603, 21.3%), or no management plan (282/1603, 17.6%). From this, 980/6424(15.3%) of the patients were recorded as being on AS across all NCCN categories at 12 months after diagnosis. This included 653/1816 (35.9%) of very low- and low-risk men, and 251/2820 (8.9%) of intermediate-risk men. Of our patients on AS, 169/980 (17.2%) progressed onto active treatment after 12 months. This active treatment included radical prostatectomy in 116 (68.6%), 32 (18.9%) undergoing external beam radiation therapy, 12 (7.1%) undergoingt brachytherapy and nine (5.3%) undergoing androgen-deprivation therapy. Overall, 629/979 (64.2%) of the AS patients were notified from a private hospital, with 350/979 (35.7%) of the patients notified from a public hospital (one patient unclassified). Of these, 202/652 (30.9%) of the AS patients with very low-/low-risk disease were managed in the public sector, vs 450/652 (69%) of very low-/low-risk AS patients being managed in the private sector. In our cohort, patients with very low- and low-risk disease, managed in a private hospital, were more likely to be on AS (P = 0.005). AS patients in the private sector were also a median of 2.8 years younger (median 65.6 vs 68.4 years, P < 0.001) had a lower median PSA level (5.3 vs 6.7 ng/mL, P < 0.001) and had lower biopsy Gleason score and clinical staging. There was no significant difference in the uptake of AS demographically, in our cohort of men between metropolitan and regional areas. In this contemporary registry-based population, AS is being used in a significant proportion of patients. The proportion of men progressing to intervention is lower than that reported in the current literature. Patients are more likely to be on AS if they are managed in a private hospital, with no differences in the uptake of AS, from metropolitan to regional areas.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-2016
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.13565
Publisher: American Medical Association (AMA)
Date: 24-07-2018
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-12-2014
DOI: 10.1007/S13246-014-0317-2
Abstract: To investigate how the dwell time deviation constraint (DTDC) parameter, applied to inverse planning by simulated annealing (IPSA) optimisation limits large dwell times from occurring in each catheter and to characterise the effect on the resulting dosimetry for prostate high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy treatment plans. An unconstrained IPSA optimised treatment plan, using the Oncentra Brachytherapy treatment planning system (version 4.3, Nucletron an Elekta company, Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden), was generated for 20 consecutive HDR prostate brachytherapy patients, with the DTDC set to zero. Successive constrained optimisation plans were also created for each patient by increasing the DTDC parameter by 0.2, up to a maximum value of 1.0. We defined a "plan modulation index", to characterise the change of dwell time modulation as the DTDC parameter was increased. We calculated the dose volume histogram indices for the PTV (D90, V100, V150, V200%) and urethra (D10%) to characterise the effect on the resulting dosimetry. The average PTV D90% decreases as the DTDC is applied, on average by only 1.5 %, for a DTDC = 0.4. The measures of high dose regions in the PTV, V150 and V200%, increase on average by less than 5 and 2 % respectively. The net effect of DTDC on the modulation of dwell times has been characterised by the introduction of the plan modulation index. DTDC applied during IPSA optimisation of HDR prostate brachytherapy plans reduce the occurrence of large isolated dwell times within in idual catheters. The mechanism by which DTDC works has been described and its effect on the modulation of dwell times has been characterised. The authors recommend using a DTDC parameter no greater than 0.4 to obtain a plan with dwell time modulation comparable to a geometric optimised plan. This yielded on average a 1.5 % decrease in PTV coverage and an acceptable increase in V150%, without compromising the urethral dose.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.BRACHY.2016.11.010
Abstract: To evaluate the incidence of acute urinary toxicity after permanent seed prostate brachytherapy (BT) over a 15-year period. The study consisted of 782 prostate cancer patients treated with BT. All patients completed self-administered International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS) at baseline and during regular follow-up. We evaluated the risk of acute urinary retention (AUR) up to 3 months post-BT and lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS) resolution (defined as return to within two points of baseline IPSS score) at regular intervals, up to 24 months post-BT. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to evaluate the effect of various patient, tumor, and treatment factors on the risk of AUR and the likelihood of LUTS resolution. Ninety-six patients (12%) developed AUR at a median of 1 day post-BT. Increased peak urinary flow is independently associated with lower risk of AUR (odds ratio [OR] = 0.94 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.91-0.97). Decline in incidence of AUR was observed over time with increased institutional experience (p = 0.03). Of the 646 patients with a minimum of 24-month follow-up, 29%, 49%, and 72% had LUTS resolution at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Patients who had pre-BT transurethral resection of prostate (OR = 2.4 95% CI = 1.5-4.0), cytoreductive neo-adjuvant androgen deprivation (OR = 2.0 95% CI = 1.0-4.0), and higher baseline IPSS (OR = 1.1 95% CI = 1.07-1.19) are more likely to report LUTS resolution at 24 months. We reported decline in AUR over time with increased institutional experience in one of the largest Australasian BT series. Approximately three-quarters of patients achieved LUTS resolution at 24-month follow-up.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2003
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2009
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 21-08-2023
DOI: 10.3390/CURRONCOL30080564
Abstract: Background: To evaluate the use of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for spine metastases and the associated factors in Australia. Methods: The Victorian Radiotherapy Minimum Dataset, which captures all episodes of radiotherapy delivered in the state of Victoria, was accessed to evaluate the patterns and trends of SBRT for spine metastases. The primary outcome was SBRT use and associated factors. Results: There were 6244 patients who received 8861 courses of radiotherapy for spine metastases between 2012 and 2017. Of these, 277 (3%) courses were SBRT, which increased from 0.4% in 2012 to 5% in 2017 (P-trend 0.001). There was a higher proportion of SBRT use in patients with prostate cancer (6%) and melanoma (4%) compared to other cancers (2–3%) (p 0.001). Patients from the highest socioeconomic quintiles (5%) were more likely to be treated with SBRT compared to patients from the lowest socioeconomic quintiles (3%) (p 0.001). There was a higher proportion of SBRT use in private radiotherapy centres (6%) compared to public radiotherapy centres (1%) (p 0.001). No spine SBRT was delivered in regional centres. In multivariate analyses, the year of treatment, age, primary cancers and radiotherapy centres were independently associated with SBRT use. Conclusion: This is the first Australian population-based study quantifying the increasing use of spine SBRT however, the overall use of spine SBRT remains low. We anticipate an ongoing increase in spine SBRT, as spine SBRT gradually becomes the standard-of-care treatment for painful spine metastases.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2016
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.13453
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.EUF.2016.01.016
Abstract: The development, monitoring, and reporting of indicator measures that describe standard of care provide the gold standard for assessing quality of care and patient outcomes. Although indicator measures have been reported, little evidence of their use in measuring and benchmarking performance is available. A standard set, defining numerator, denominator, and risk adjustments, will enable global benchmarking of quality of care. To develop a set of indicators to enable assessment and reporting of quality of care for men with localised prostate cancer (PCa). Candidate indicators were identified from the literature. An international panel was invited to participate in a modified Delphi process. Teleconferences were held before and after each voting round to provide instruction and to review results. Panellists were asked to rate each proposed indicator on a Likert scale of 1-9 in a two-round iterative process. Calculations required to report on the endorsed indicators were evaluated and modified to reflect the data capture of the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry-Australia and New Zealand (PCOR-ANZ). A total of 97 candidate indicators were identified, of which 12 were endorsed. The set includes indicators covering pre-, intra-, and post-treatment of PCa care, within the limits of the data captured by PCOR-ANZ. The 12 endorsed quality measures enable international benchmarking on the quality of care of men with localised PCa. Reporting on these indicators enhances safety and efficacy of treatment, reduces variation in care, and can improve patient outcomes. PCa has the highest incidence of all cancers in men. Early diagnosis and relatively high survival rates mean issues of quality of care and best possible health outcomes for patients are important. This paper identifies 12 important measurable quality indicators in PCa care.
Publisher: Elyns Group LLC
Date: 23-10-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2008
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJROBP.2007.08.070
Abstract: The aim of this Phase II study was to examine whether concurrent continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil (CI 5FU) plus three-dimensional conformal planning radiotherapy sandwiched between gemcitabine chemotherapy is effective, tolerable, and safe in the management of pancreatic cancer. Patients were enrolled in two strata: (1) resected pancreatic cancer at high risk of local relapse (postsurgery arm, n = 22) or (2) inoperable pancreatic cancer in head or body without metastases (locally advanced arm, n = 41). Gemcitabine was given at 1,000 mg/m(2) weekly for 3 weeks followed by 1 week rest then 5-6 weeks of radiotherapy and concurrent CI 5FU (200 mg/m(2)/day). After 4 weeks' rest, gemcitabine treatment was reinitiated for 12 weeks. For the two arms combined, treatment-related Grade 3 and 4 toxicities were reported by 25 (39.7%) and 7 (11.1%) patients, respectively. No significant late renal or hepatic toxicity was observed. In the postsurgery arm (R1 54.5%), median time to progressive disease from surgery was 11.0 months, median time to failure of local control was 32.9 months, and median survival time was 15.6 months. The 1- and 2-year survival rates were 63.6% and 31.8%. No significant associations between outcome and mutations in K-ras or TP53 or microsatellite instability were identified. Post hoc investigation of cancer antigen 19-9 levels found baseline levels and increases postbaseline were associated with shorter survival (p = 0.0061 and p < 0.0001, respectively). This three-dimensional chemoradiotherapy regimen is safe and promising, with encouraging local control for a substantial proportion of patients, and merits testing in a randomized trial.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2008
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJROBP.2007.10.007
Abstract: To estimate and compare the secondary cancer risk (SCR) due to para-aortic (PA), dogleg field (DLF), or extensive field (EF) radiotherapy (RT) at different dose levels for Stage I testicular seminoma. The organ equivalent dose concept with a linear, plateau, and linear-exponential dose-response model was applied to the dose distributions to estimate the SCR. The dose distributions were calculated in a voxel-based anthropomorphic phantom. Three different three-dimensional plans were computed: PA, DLF, and EF. The plans were calculated with 6-MV photons and two opposed fields, using 20 Gy in 10 fractions. The estimated cumulative SCR for a 75-year-old patient treated with PA-RT at age 35 was 23.3% (linear model), 20.9% (plateau model), and 20.8% (linear-exponential model) compared with 19.8% for the general population. Dependent on the model, PA-RT compared with DLF-RT reduced the SCR by 48-63% or 64-69% when normalized to EF-RT. For PA-RT, the linear dose-response model predicted a decrease of 45% in the SCR, using 20 Gy instead of 30 Gy the linear-exponential dose-response model predicted no change in SCR. Our model suggested that the SCR after PA-RT for Stage I testicular seminoma is reduced by approximately one-half to two-thirds compared with DLF-RT, independent of the dose-response model. The SCR is expected to be equal or lower with 20 Gy than with 30 Gy. In the absence of mature patient data, the organ equivalent dose concept offers the best potential method of estimating the SCR when discussing treatment options with patients.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2016
DOI: 10.1111/AJCO.12558
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 19-11-2021
Abstract: Despite the high prevalence of prostate cancer in older men, the predictive value of a polygenic risk score (PRS) remains uncertain in men aged ≥70 years. We used a 6.6 million-variant PRS to predict the risk of incident prostate cancer in a prospective study of 5701 men of European descent aged ≥70 years (mean age 75 years) enrolled in the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) clinical trial. The study endpoint was prostate cancer, including metastatic or non-metastatic disease, confirmed by an expert panel. After excluding participants with a history of prostate cancer at enrolment, we used a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model to assess the association between the PRS and incident prostate cancer risk, adjusting for covariates. Additionally, we examined the distribution of Gleason grade groups by PRS group to determine if a higher PRS was associated with higher grade disease. We tested for interaction between the PRS and aspirin treatment. Logistic regression was used to independently assess the association of the PRS with prevalent (pre-trial) prostate cancer, reported in medical histories. During a median follow-up time of 4.6 years, 218 of the 5701 participants (3.8%) were diagnosed with prostate cancer. The PRS predicted incident risk with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.52 per standard deviation (SD) (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33–1.74, p 0.001). Men in the top quintile of the PRS distribution had an almost three times higher risk of prostate cancer than men in the lowest quintile (HR = 2.99 (95% CI 1.90–4.27), p 0.001). However, a higher PRS was not associated with a higher Gleason grade groups. We found no interaction between aspirin treatment and the PRS for prostate cancer risk. The PRS was also associated with prevalent prostate cancer (odds ratio = 1.80 per SD (95% CI 1.65–1.96), p 0.001).While a PRS for prostate cancer is strongly associated with incident risk in men aged ≥70 years, the clinical utility of the PRS as a biomarker is currently limited by its inability to select for clinically significant disease.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2016
DOI: 10.1111/AJCO.12557
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-04-2017
DOI: 10.1038/PCAN.2017.12
Abstract: Ethanol in alcoholic beverages is a known carcinogen, but its association with aggressive prostate cancer (APC) is uncertain. Recent studies have shown a modest increase in risk of APC associated with heavy alcohol intake while association for beverage types remain inconsistent. Using a case-control design and self-administered questionnaire, we examined the association between APC (high grade and/or advanced stage) and frequency and quantity of alcohol intake 2 years prior to enrolment. Furthermore, we delineated the relationships for beverage-specific intakes of beer, red wine, white wine and spirits. The study included 1282 APC cases and 951 controls. Beer intake frequency of ⩾5 days per week was associated with increased risk compared with no beer intake (odds ratio=1.66, 95% confidence interval: 1.12-2.48) whereas wine was protective at all frequencies of consumption compared with those with no wine intake. For every 10 g per week ethanol intake from beer increase, the odds of advanced PC rose by 3% (OR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.02-1.05). No such increased risk was observed for red or white wine while a marginal dose-response relationship was found for spirits (OR=1.03, 95% CI: 0.99-1.07). Heavy beer and possibly spirits consumption is associated with increased risk while no dose-response relationship was found for red or white wine. Wine drinkers at all frequencies have a decreased risk of APC compared with those who did not drink wine.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-02-2017
DOI: 10.1002/ACM2.12058
Abstract: High energy radiotherapy can produce contaminant neutrons through the photonuclear effect. Patients receiving external beam radiation therapy to the pelvis may have high‐density hip prostheses. Metallic materials such as those in hip prostheses, often have high cross‐sections for neutron interaction. In this study, Thackray ( UK ) prosthetic hips have been irradiated by 18 MV radiotherapy beams to evaluate the additional dose to patients from the activation products. Hips were irradiated in‐ and out‐of field at various distances from the beam isocenter to assess activation caused in‐field by photo‐activation, and neutron activation which occurs both in and out‐of‐field. NaI(Tl) scintillator detectors were used to measure the subsequent gamma‐ray emissions and their half‐lives. High sensitivity Mg, Cu, P doped LiF thermoluminescence dosimeter chips ( TLD ‐100H) were used to measure the subsequent dose at the surface of a prosthesis over the 12 h following an in‐field irradiation of 10,000 MU to a hip prosthesis located at the beam isocenter in a water phantom. 53 Fe, 56 Mn, and 52 V were identified within the hip following irradiation by radiotherapy beams. The dose measured at the surface of a prosthesis following irradiation in a water phantom was 0.20 mG y over 12 h. The dose at the surface of prostheses irradiated to 200 MU was below the limit of detection (0.05 mG y) of the TLD 100H. Prosthetic hips are activated by incident photons and neutrons in high energy radiotherapy, however, the dose resulting from activation is very small.
Publisher: AMPCo
Date: 06-2013
DOI: 10.5694/MJA12.11241
Abstract: To describe patterns of care for men diagnosed with prostate cancer in Victoria, Australia, between 2008 and 2011. Men who were diagnosed with prostate cancer at 11 public and six private hospitals in Victoria from August 2008 to February 2011, and for whom prostate cancer notifications were received by the Prostate Cancer Registry. Characteristics of men diagnosed with prostate cancer details of treatment provided within 12 months of diagnosis, according to National Comprehensive Cancer Network risk categories and characteristics of men who did not receive active treatment within 12 months of diagnosis. Treatment details were collected for 98.1% of men who were assessed as eligible to participate in the study (2724/2776) and were confirmed by telephone 12 months after diagnosis for 74.4% of them (2027/2724). Most patients (2531/2724 [92.9%]) were diagnosed with clinically localised disease, of whom 1201 (47.5%) were at intermediate risk of disease progression. Within 12 months of diagnosis, 299 of the 736 patients (40.6%) who had been diagnosed as having disease that was at low risk of progression had received no active treatment, and 72 of 594 patients (12.1%) who had been diagnosed as having disease that was at high risk of progression had received no active treatment. Of those diagnosed as having intermediate risk of disease progression, 54.5% (655/1201) had undergone radical prostatectomy. Those who received no active treatment were more likely than those who received active treatment to be older (odds ratio [95% CI], 2.96 [2.01-4.38], 10.94 [6.96-17.21] and 32.76 [15.84-67.89], respectively, for age 65-74 2013s, 75-84 2013s and ≥ 85 2013s, compared with < 55 2013s), to have less advanced disease (odds ratio [95% CI], 0.20 [0.16-0.26], 0.09 [0.06-0.12] and 0.05 [0.02-0.90], respectively, for intermediate, high and very high-risk [locally advanced] or metastatic disease, compared with low-risk disease) and to have had their prostate cancer notified by a private hospital (odds ratio [95% CI], 1.35 [1.10-1.66], compared with public hospital). Our data reveal a considerable "stage migration" towards earlier diagnosis of prostate cancer in Victoria and a large increase in the use of radical prostatectomy among men with clinically localised disease.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 22-07-2020
DOI: 10.1038/S41585-020-0349-1
Abstract: Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous cancer with widely varying levels of morbidity and mortality. Approaches to prostate cancer screening, diagnosis, surveillance, treatment and management differ around the world. To identify the highest priority research needs across the prostate cancer biomedical research domain, Movember conducted a landscape analysis with the aim of maximizing the effect of future research investment through global collaborative efforts and partnerships. A global Landscape Analysis Committee (LAC) was established to act as an independent group of experts across urology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology, pathology, translational research, health economics and patient advocacy. Men with prostate cancer and thought leaders from a variety of disciplines provided a range of key insights through a range of interviews. Insights were prioritized against predetermined criteria to understand the areas of greatest unmet need. From these efforts, 17 research needs in prostate cancer were agreed on and prioritized, and 3 received the maximum prioritization score by the LAC: first, to establish more sensitive and specific tests to improve disease screening and diagnosis second, to develop indicators to better stratify low-risk prostate cancer for determining which men should go on active surveillance and third, to integrate companion diagnostics into randomized clinical trials to enable prediction of treatment response. On the basis of the findings from the landscape analysis, Movember will now have an increased focus on addressing the specific research needs that have been identified, with particular investment in research efforts that reduce disease progression and lead to improved therapies for advanced prostate cancer.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-1997
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.JPAINSYMMAN.2018.03.022
Abstract: Increasing emphases are being placed on early integration of palliative care for patients with advanced cancers, yet barriers to implementation in clinical practice remain. Criteria to standardize referral have been endorsed, but their application is yet to be tested at the population level. This study sought to establish the need for standardized referral by examining current end-of-life care outcomes of decedents with cancer and define transition points within a cancer illness course, which are associated with poor prognosis, whereby palliative care should be routinely introduced to augment clinician-based decision making. Population cohort study of admitted patients with advanced cancer diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC), prostate or breast cancer between 2000 and 2010 in Victoria, Australia, identified from routinely collected, linked, hospital discharge, emergency department, and death registration data. Descriptive statistics described quality indicators for end-of-life care outcomes for decedents. Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to test the predefined transition point that mostly accurately predicted survival of six months or lesser. About 46,700 cases (56% females) were admitted with metastatic NSCLC (n = 14,759 31.6%), SCLC (n = 2932 6%), prostate (n = 9445 20.2%), and breast cancer (n = 19,564 41.9%). Of the 29,680 decedents, most (80%) died in hospital, had suboptimal end-of-life care outcomes (83%), and 59% received a palliative approach to care, a median of 27 days before death. Transition points in the cancer illness course of all cases were identified as first admission with any metastatic disease (NSCLC: 3.8 months [interquartile range {IQR} 1.1, 16.0] n = 14,666 and SCLC: 4.2 months [IQR 1.0, 10.6] n = 2914) first multiday admission with any metastatic disease (prostate: 6.0 months [IQR 1.3, 26.4] n = 7174) and first multiday admission with at least one visceral metastatic site (breast: 6.0 months [IQR 1.2, 29.8] n = 7120). Despite calls for integrated palliative care, this occurs late or not at all for many patients with cancer. Our findings demonstrate the application of targeted cancer-specific transition points to trigger integration of palliative care as a standard part of quality oncological care and augment clinician-based referral in routine clinical practice.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.CLGC.2017.03.011
Abstract: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) can result in a range of adverse symptoms that reduce patients' quality of life. Careful patient counseling on the likely clinical outcomes and adverse effects is therefore vital. The present systematic review was undertaken to identify and characterize all the tools used for the prediction of clinical and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients with prostate cancer undergoing ADT. PubMed and EMBASE were systematically searched from 2007 to 2016. Search terms related to the inclusion criteria were: prostate cancer, clinical outcomes, PROMs, ADT, and prognosis. Titles and abstracts were reviewed to find relevant studies, which were advanced to full-text review. The reference lists were screened for additional studies. The Centre for Evidence Based Medicine critical appraisal of prognostic studies tool was applied. The search strategy identified 8755 studies. Of the 8755 studies, 22 on clinical outcomes were identified. However, no studies of PROMs were found. Nine tools could be used to predict clinical outcomes in treatment-naive patients and 10 in patients with recurrence. The Japan Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (J-CAPRA) nomogram was the best performing and validated tool for the prediction of clinical outcomes in treatment-naive patients, and the Chi and Shamash prognostic indexes have been validated for use in patients with castration-resistant disease in different clinical contexts. Using the J-CAPRA nomogram should help clinicians deliver accurate, evidence-based counseling to patients undergoing primary ADT. A strong need exists for primary studies that derive and validate tools for the prediction of PROMs in patients undergoing ADT under any circumstance because these are currently absent from the literature.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-01-2016
Abstract: External beam radiation treatment (EBRT) for prostate cancer (CaP) can cause adverse effects on bowel, bladder and sexual function. We aimed to use CaP clinical registry data to evaluate variation in patient adverse effects after EBRT in Victoria. Study subjects were men diagnosed with primary CaP between 2009 and 2014, treated with EBRT in metropolitan Melbourne, or in one of three regional integrated cancer service (ICS) regions. Information on change in general and disease-specific health outcome 12 and 24 months after the initial diagnosis were obtained using a modified Expanded CaP index composite (EPIC)-26 survey and there was no variation of follow up between ICSs. The proportion of men with 'big bother' (the most troublesome category) was compared between the ICS regions in Victoria (n = 1,825). There was no difference in big bother in urinary and sexual function across the regions at 24 months. However, patients treated in one regional cancer service had a higher proportion with 'big bother' (11.1%) compared with the rest of the Victoria (4.8%) (χ(2) = 4.85 P = 0.02). The only significant factor for this was the location of EBRT (odds ratio = 2.6 95% confidence interval: 1.12-6.04 P = 0.02). There was no association over time in that region with change in EBRT technique from 3-D conformal radiation therapy to intensity-modulated radiation therapy (z-test for proportion: 0.77 P: 0.44). A comprehensive clinical cancer registry system, can be used to benchmark outcomes for men diagnosed with CaP and may detect clinically relevant variations that require further detailed evaluation and response.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-09-2023
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.16176
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-03-2022
Abstract: To evaluate the proportion of cancer patients who received radiation therapy (RT) within 12 months of cancer diagnosis (RTU12) and identify factors associated with RTU12. This is a population‐based cohort of in iduals with incident cancer, diagnosed between 2013 and 2017 in Victoria. Data linkages were performed between the Victorian Cancer Registry and Victorian Radiotherapy Minimum Dataset. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who had RTU12. For the three most common cancers (i.e., prostate, breast and lung cancer), the time trend in RTU12 and factors associated with RTU12 were evaluated. The overall RTU12 in our study cohort was 26–20% radical RT and 6% palliative RT. Of the 21,735 men with prostate cancer, RTU12 was 17%, with no significant change over time ( P ‐trend = 0.53). In multivariate analyses, increasing age and lower socioeconomic status were independently associated with higher RTU12 for prostate cancer. Of the 20,883 women with breast cancer, RTU12 was 64%, which increased from 62% in 2013 to 65% in 2017 ( P ‐trend 0.05). In multivariate analyses, age, socioeconomic status and area of residency were independently associated with RTU12 for breast cancer. Of the 13,093 patients with lung cancer, RTU12 was 42%, with no significant change over time ( P ‐trend = 0.16). In multivariate analyses, younger age, male and lower socioeconomic status were independently associated with higher RTU12. In this large population‐based state‐wide cohort of cancer patients, only 1 in 4 had RT within 12 months of diagnosis. There were marked sociodemographic disparities in RTU12 for prostate, breast and lung cancer patients.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-10-2012
DOI: 10.1111/J.1754-9485.2012.02461.X
Abstract: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common adverse event associated with treatment for prostate cancer. This study aimed to identify whether early, regular use of sildenafil after radiation treatment for prostate cancer is effective at reducing the rate of ED at 2 years. A randomised controlled trial with 27 men planned for radiation treatment for localised prostate cancer recruited from a single radiotherapy centre in Australia. Men were randomised to receive daily sildenafil, or a placebo tablet, for 6 months. The primary end-point was erectile function, as measured by the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score, at 2-year follow-up. The abridged IIEF-5 survey was also used during the treatment period, and could be derived from the full IIEF at other time-points. Two-sided Student's t-tests and Mann-Whitney U-tests were used for the analysis of continuous outcomes, with Fisher's exact test for dichotomous outcomes. No difference was seen at 2 years in the primary end-point, and IIEF scores did not differ significantly between groups during the study. Men in the sildenafil group exhibited significantly better IIEF-5 scores at 4 weeks (P = 0.02) and 6 months (P = 0.02). There was no difference in erectile function scores between the two groups throughout the treatment period. No significant difference in adverse events was identified between the two groups. There was no evidence from this trial that sildenafil provides long-term erectile function for patients while on medication. Regular use of sildenafil may improve short-term sexual function for patients while on medication. Larger trials are required to examine the effectiveness of implementing sildenafil for prostate cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2006
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJROBP.2009.10.016
Abstract: To report on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) "bounces" after (125)I prostate brachytherapy to review the relationship to biochemical control and correlate both clinical and dosimetric variables. We analyzed 194 hormone-naive patients with a follow-up of ≥ 3 years. Four bounce definitions were applied: an increase of ≥ 0.2 ng/mL (definition I), ≥ 0.4 ng/mL (definition II), ≥ 15% (definition III), and ≥ 35% (definition IV) of a previous value with spontaneous return to the prebounce level or lower. Using definition I, II, III, and IV, a bounce was detected in 50%, 34%, 11%, and 9% of patients, respectively. The median time to onset was 14-16 months, the duration was 12-21.5 months, and the magnitude of the increase was 0.5-2 ng/mL. A magnitude of >2 ng/mL, fulfilling the criteria for biochemical failure (BF) according to the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology Phoenix definition, was detected in 11.3%, 16.9%, 47.6%, and 50% using definitions I, II, III, and IV, respectively 11 patients (5.7%) had true BF. The PSA bounces occurred earlier than BF (p < 0.001). The prediction of BF remains controversial and is probably unrelated to biochemical control. The only statistically significant factor predictive of a PSA bounce was younger age (definitions I and II). PSA bounces are common after brachytherapy. All definitions resulted in a high number of false-positive calls for BF during the first 2 years. The definition of an increase of ≥ 0.2 ng/mL should be preferred because of the lowest number of false-positive results for BF. Patients experiencing a PSA bounce during the first 2 years after brachytherapy should undergo surveillance every 3-6 months. Additional investigations are recommended for elevated postimplant PSA levels that have not corrected by 3 years of follow-up.
Publisher: Harborside Press, LLC
Date: 09-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2004
DOI: 10.1016/S0360-3016(03)00820-4
Abstract: To assess the efficacy of a variety of prognostic models in the definition of intermediate-risk prostate cancer and to compare them to our own empiric model. Two hundred fifty-six consecutive men with prostate adenocarcinoma treated with external beam radiotherapy alone were studied. Biochemical failure (defined as 3 consecutive PSA rises or the initiation of androgen deprivation therapy) was examined using univariate, multivariate, and recursive partitioning analyses. The risk classification model used in our department was then compared to a number of published models to assess the relative performance of each in discriminating risk groups. At a median follow-up of 62.4 months, the 5-year Biochemical failure-free survival (bFFS) was 46.8% for the overall group. This relates to 5-year bFFS of 77.8%, 51.1%, and 33.8% based on our institutional criteria for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk features, respectively. All the models examined showed an outcome group with a comparatively similar poor outcome when applied to our data. Large variation was seen in the intermediate-risk groups, with 5-year bFFS ranging from 38.1% to 51.1%. Good risk categories had similar large variations. All published models showed inability to delineate three significantly different outcome groups. Recursive partitioning analysis derived categories based on combinations of PSA (with cutpoints at 42.4, 20, and 10.6 ng/mL) and Gleason score (with cutpoints at 2-6 and 7-10) only. Large variations in the relative performance of a number of prognostic models are shown when applied to our local data. The prognostic efficacy of PSA and biopsy Gleason score is reiterated, although other factors will need to be explored to further improve the performance of prognostic models, particularly in defining the intermediate-risk subset of prostate cancer.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2008
DOI: 10.1016/J.RADONC.2008.05.006
Abstract: Three randomised trials have demonstrated the benefit of adjuvant post-prostatectomy radiotherapy (PPRT) for high risk patients. Data also documents the effectiveness of salvage radiotherapy following a biochemical relapse post-prostatectomy. The Radiation Oncology Genito-Urinary Group recognised the need to develop consensus guidelines on to whom, when and how to deliver PPRT. Draft guidelines were developed and refined at a consensus conference in June 2006 attended by 63 delegates where urological, radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging experts spoke on aspects of PPRT. Unresolved issues were further developed by working parties and redistributed until consensus was reached. Central to the recommendations is that patients with positive surgical margins, seminal vesicle invasion and/or extracapsular extension have a high risk of residual local disease and should be informed of the options of either immediate adjuvant radiotherapy or active surveillance with early salvage in the event of biochemical recurrence. Salvage radiotherapy should be instituted at the earliest confirmation of biochemical recurrence. Detailed contouring guidelines have been developed, defining the regions at risk of residual microscopic disease which should be included in the clinical target volume. The recommended doses are 60-64Gy for adjuvant, and 60-66Gy for salvage radiotherapy. The role of hormone therapy in conjunction with PPRT is yet to be defined. These consensus guidelines have been developed to give clinical and technical guidance to radiation oncologists and urologists in the management of high risk post-prostatectomy patients.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2008
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-04-2016
DOI: 10.1118/1.4946820
Abstract: Verification of high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy treatment delivery is an important step, but is generally difficult to achieve. A technique is required to monitor the treatment as it is delivered, allowing comparison with the treatment plan and error detection. In this work, we demonstrate a method for monitoring the treatment as it is delivered and directly comparing the delivered treatment with the treatment plan in the clinical workspace. This treatment verification system is based on a flat panel detector (FPD) used for both pre-treatment imaging and source tracking. A phantom study was conducted to establish the resolution and precision of the system. A pretreatment radiograph of a phantom containing brachytherapy catheters is acquired and registration between the measurement and treatment planning system (TPS) is performed using implanted fiducial markers. The measured catheter paths immediately prior to treatment were then compared with the plan. During treatment delivery, the position of the (192)Ir source is determined at each dwell position by measuring the exit radiation with the FPD and directly compared to the planned source dwell positions. The registration between the two corresponding sets of fiducial markers in the TPS and radiograph yielded a registration error (residual) of 1.0 mm. The measured catheter paths agreed with the planned catheter paths on average to within 0.5 mm. The source positions measured with the FPD matched the planned source positions for all dwells on average within 0.6 mm (s.d. 0.3, min. 0.1, max. 1.4 mm). We have demonstrated a method for directly comparing the treatment plan with the delivered treatment that can be easily implemented in the clinical workspace. Pretreatment imaging was performed, enabling visualization of the implant before treatment delivery and identification of possible catheter displacement. Treatment delivery verification was performed by measuring the source position as each dwell was delivered. This approach using a FPD for imaging and source tracking provides a noninvasive method of acquiring extensive information for verification in HDR prostate brachytherapy.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-11-2022
Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of post‐mastectomy hypofractionationed radiation therapy (HFRT) for breast cancer in Victoria, Australia. This is a population‐based cohort of women with breast cancer who received post‐mastectomy RT to the chest wall with or without nodal irradiation between 2012 and 2017. HFRT was defined as fractions of RT. Data were captured in the Victorian Radiotherapy Minimum Dataset (VRMDS). The changing pattern of HFRT use was evaluated using the Cochran–Armitage test. Patient‐, treatment‐ and institutional‐related factors associated with HFRT use were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Two thousand and twenty‐one women were included in this study, of which 238 (12%) received HFRT. This increased from 8% in 2012 to 18% in 2017 ( P ‐trend 0.001). Older women were more likely to have HFRT (26% in women above 70 years vs 6% in women under 50 years P 0.001). Women who did not have nodal irradiation were more likely to have HFRT than those who did (18% vs 9% respectively P 0.001). In multivariate analyses, the progressive increase in HFRT use over time remained statistically significant – women treated in 2017 were four times more likely to receive HFRT than those treated in 2012 (95% CI = 2.1–7.7 P 0.001). Other factors independently associated with increased likelihood of HFRT use included increasing age at RT, and lack of nodal irradiation. In this first Australian study evaluating the use of post‐mastectomy HFRT, we observed increasing HFRT use in Victoria over time. We anticipate this rising trend will continue in the coming years.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-03-2015
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.13073
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-05-2017
DOI: 10.1007/S00345-017-2047-Z
Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate (1) the time interval between a decision to commence on active surveillance (AS) and grade progression in community practice (2) factors predicting grade progression in localised prostate cancer (CaP) patients apparently undergoing AS. Data from the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry-Victoria were used to analyze men with Gleason 3 + 3 CaP or less who had at least one repeat biopsy. Unadjusted and adjusted 5-year Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to assess the time to grade progression. Both univariate and multivariate analyses for grade progression were performed using Cox proportional hazards. The cohort included 951 men. Overall, 39% of men had Gleason grade reclassified to a higher risk disease state with median of 2.2 years [IQR 1.2-3.7 years]. Men who harboured cT2 disease were 30% more likely to have upgrading compared to men with cT1 disease (adjusted HR: 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.6, p = 0.048). Half of the men with cT2 in our cohort had their Gleason grade reclassified within 1.6 years from diagnosis as compared with 2.7 years for the cT1 group. The presence of percentage of core involvement >25.0% and a PSA velocity of >1.01 ng/mL/year remained significant for a higher progression rate. The adjusted HR: 1.6 95% CI [1.2-2.3], p = 0.004 adjusted HR: 1.6, 95% CI [1.2-2.4], p = 0.021, for percent of core involvement of 25.1-37.5%, and ≥37.6%, respectively. The adjusted HRs and p value associated with PSA velocity were 1.5 95% CI [1.1-2.1], p = 0.016 and 1.6 95% CI [1.2-2.3], p = 0.003 for PSA velocity values of 1.01-2 ng/mL per year and >2 ng/mL per year, respectively. Men who were diagnosed in regional hospital and subsequently had biopsy in metropolitan hospital were twice at risk of having Gleason upgrade compared to those whom both diagnostic and surveillance biopsies were carried out in metropolitan hospitals (adjusted HR: 1.9 95% CI 1.1-3.3, p = 0.029). When placing men on AS and considering time to histologic progression, clinicians should pay particular attention to the likely accuracy of the diagnostic specimen, their tumour stage, volume of tumour (percent of core involvement), and rising PSA. Those diagnosed with T2 disease and had >25.0% of core involvement, and a PSA velocity greater than 1 ng/mL per year is at particular risk for more rapid disease progression and, for this reason, should be counselled on the importance of following the recommended surveillance regimen. For half of these men, their disease will have 'progressed' according to biopsy results in 2 years.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2015
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.13112
Abstract: To identify the ability of multiple variables to predict prostate cancer specific mortality (PCSM) in a whole of population series of all radical prostatectomies (RP) performed in Victoria, Australia. A total of 2154 open RPs were performed in Victoria between July 1995 and December 2000. Subjects without follow up data, Gleason grade, pathological stage were excluded as were those who had pT4 disease or received neoadjuvant treatment. 1967 cases (91.3% of total) met the inclusion criteria for this study. Tumour characteristics were collated via a central registry. We used competing hazards regression models to investigate associations. At median follow up of 10.3 years pT stage of RP (P < 0.001) and high Gleason score of the RP specimen (P < 0.001 for ≥8 [Subhazard ratio (SHR) 11.19] and 4 + 3 = 7 [SHR 7.10]) compared with Gleason score 6 disease were strong predictors of progression to PCSM. Gleason score 3 + 4 = 7 was not at this time a significant predictor of PCSM (P = 0.08, SHR 1.84). Predictors of PCSM, independent of stage and grade, included rural residency (P = 0.003), primary surgeon contributing less than 40 cases (low-volume) to the VRPR (P = 0.025) and the involvement of a trainee surgeon in the operation (P = 0.031). The significant prediction of PCSM by pT cancer stage, Gleason score and primary Gleason pattern at RP in this whole of population study suggests a need to avoid understaging/grading in the process of cancer diagnosis and active surveillance protocols. Multi-modality therapy is likely to have a greater impact on PCSM in higher stage and Gleason grade disease. Identification of increased PCSM with rural residency and with involvement of a trainee urologist, and reduction in PCSM with higher surgeon volume all suggest potential for improved PC outcomes to be achieved with changes to surgical training and service delivery.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-1990
DOI: 10.1016/S0936-6555(05)80170-0
Abstract: Thirty three patients with inoperable arteriovenous malformations of the brain received conventionally fractionated megavoltage photon radiotherapy. The dose varied between 30.00 wand 50.00 Gy with a median of 40.00 Gy. Treatment was not associated with any significant morbidity. Follow-up ranged from 16 months to 148 months, with a median of 79 months. The projected 5-year survival is 92% and rebleed-free survival 78%. There was a trend of increased bleed-free survival for doses greater than 46.00 Gy.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-2005
DOI: 10.1111/J.1445-2197.2005.03347.X
Abstract: A retrospective survey of medical practitioners was undertaken to describe the tumour characteristics, management and outcomes of all superficial bladder cancers newly diagnosed in 1990 and in 1995 in Victoria. Cases were identified from the population cancer registry. The survey was conducted in 1999 and the cohort followed up until 2000 to obtain at least 5 years of follow-up data on all patients, in particular to identify recurrence of tumour as assessed at surveillance cystoscopy and progression to muscle invasive cancer. Tumour recurrence was observed in 390/610 patients (63.9%), of whom 56.9% had their recurrence noted at the first check cystoscopy. Ultimately 43 (6.3%) of patients progressed to invasive disease, with this subgroup demonstrating 5-year overall survival of 35% (95% confidence interval (CI) 21-49%). Ultimately survival was proportional to the extent of tumour invasion, being greater in low-risk patients (76%, 95% CI 72-80%, mucosal disease only) than in high-risk patients (46%, 95% CI 36-56%, lamina propria invasion noted at diagnosis). In low-risk subgroups of patients with superficial transitional cell carcinoma, the frequency of surveillance cystoscopy may be able to be reduced to levels in accordance with established European guidelines without a likely impact on patient survival. Where progression to muscle invasive disease does ensue, more aggressive management may be warranted in order to try to improve survival.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2014
Abstract: To present long-term survival data from the Victorian Radical Prostatectomy Register (VRPR), 1995-2000, and analyse the effect of rural residence on survival. Men who underwent open radical prostatectomy (RP) in Victoria from 1995 to 2000 were recorded in a population register co-ordinated by the Victorian Cancer Registry and Cancer Council Victoria. Baseline clinical, pathological and demographic information such as location were recorded and linked to mortality and recurrence data. Men who had neoadjuvant therapy or missing data for socioeconomic status (SES), tumour grade and stage were excluded leaving 1984 patients in the analyses (92.1% of total register). Follow-up concluded in 2009 with 238 deaths observed, of which 77 were prostate cancer (PCa) specific. Cox and competing risk regressions were used for analysis. Living in a rural area was associated with higher odds of PCa specific mortality after RP (trend p<0.001) and a higher hazard of PCa death, the discrepancy rising up to four-fold (SHR=4.09, p=0.004) with increasing remoteness of residence. This effect is apparent after adjustment for SES, age, private or public hospital treatment, PSA level and tumour-specific factors. Rural men in Victoria have a shorter time to PCa death following definitive treatment, even after adjustment for SES and adverse tumour characteristics. Rural men are faring worse than their urban counterparts following the same cancer treatment.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-06-2004
DOI: 10.1002/CNCR.20300
Abstract: The current study evaluated factors influencing survival in patients diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), with a focus on the effects of therapeutic radiotherapy (RT) and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). A retrospective chart review of patients with a diagnosis of HIV-related PCNSL at one of five university hospitals between 1987 and 1998 was performed. Clinical details including antiretroviral agent use, brain imaging scan results, RT use, and survival outcomes were recorded. One hundred eleven patients with HIV-related PCNSL were identified. The annual incidence decreased significantly between 1992 and 1995 and between 1996 and 1998 (P = 0.04). The median survival period was 50 days (mean, 109 days range, 4-991 days), with improved survival for patients diagnosed after 1993. Patients treated with two or more antiretroviral agents had improved survival (P = 0.01), as did patients who received RT (P or = 30 Gray (Gy) independently predicted a more favorable outcome. RT used in conjunction with antiretroviral therapy involving two or more agents had an additive positive effect on survival. For patients who did not receive RT, poor performance status and encephalopathy predicted a shorter survival duration. The results of the current study suggest that HAART and treatment with RT to > or = 30 Gy improve survival for patients with HIV-related PCNSL. This combination of therapies may provide a standard of care as the basis for further trials of chemotherapy, novel adjunctive treatment, and quality of life assessment.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2016
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-11-2017
DOI: 10.1007/S10552-017-0981-0
Abstract: We aimed to evaluate the associations between androgenetic alopecia at a young age and subsequent development of aggressive prostate cancer (PC). Using a case-control design with self-administered questionnaire, we evaluated the association between aggressive PC and very early-onset balding at age 20, and early-onset balding at age 40 years in 1,941 men. Cases were men with high-grade and/or advanced stage cancer and controls were clinic based men who had undergone biopsy and were found to be histologically cancer negative. Additionally, for cases we assessed whether early-onset balding was associated with earlier onset of disease. Men with very early-onset balding at age 20 years were at increased risk for subsequent aggressive PC [odds ratio (OR) 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-2.12] after adjustment for age at baseline, family history of PC, smoking status, alcohol intake, body shape, timing of growth spurt and ejaculatory frequency. Additionally, these men were diagnosed with PC approximately 16 months earlier than cases without the exposure. The effect was present particularly for men with advanced stage pT3+ disease (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.14-2.47) while men with organ-confined high-grade (8-10) PC did not exhibit the same relationship. No significant associations were observed for men who were balding at age 40 years, given no balding at age 20. Men with androgenetic alopecia at age 20 years are at increased risk of advanced stage PC. This small subset of men are potentially candidates for earlier screening and urological follow-up.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2006
DOI: 10.1016/J.BRACHY.2005.11.001
Abstract: To describe a simple technique to define the anatomically accurate urethral location in the postimplant CT scans, after permanent prostate seed implants, without the discomfort associated with use of a catheter. We perform preplanned, preloaded transperineal transrectal ultrasound-guided permanent seed implants for men with low-risk prostate cancer. In postimplant CT scans performed 4 weeks after the procedure we previously used a catheter to identify the urethra. We now use retrograde injection of contrast, followed by the retrograde injection of a mixture of contrast and aerated sterile lubricant jelly to opacify the urethra on our CT scans. This technique is economical, simple, and more comfortable than the use of a catheter. It reliably allows identification of the urethra for the purposes of deriving dose-volume histogram statistics, for quality control. It provides a reference for more accurate determination of the prostate apex. We recommend this technique to those performing prostate seed implants wishing to most accurately determine the precise urethral dose parameters in delayed postimplant CT scans, without the need for the discomfort associated with a urethral catheter.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2009
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-2022
Abstract: Peer review is a part of high quality care within radiation oncology, designed to achieve the best outcomes for patients. We discuss the importance of and evidence for peer review in clinical practice. The Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) has evolved a Peer Review Assessment Tool (PRAT) since 1999. We report the results of a RANZCR faculty survey conducted in radiation oncology facilities across Australia and New Zealand to guide the 2019 PRAT revision process, and discuss the development and implementation of the 2019 PRAT. Peer‐review processes are now mandated as a component of Australian and International Quality Standards. Several practical recommendations might address challenges for effective implementation of peer review process in routine clinical practice. This includes prioritising tumour sites and treatment techniques for peer review within the time and resources constraints of each institution, improving resource allocation, ensuring optimal timing and duration for peer review meetings, and adopting multi‐centre virtual peer review meeting where necessary.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-10-2022
Abstract: Quality indicators (QIs) are metrics which seek to allow comparison of clinicians' and institutes' practice to best evidence‐based practice. The Australia and New Zealand Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry (PCOR–ANZ) is a bi‐national clinical quality registry with coverage estimated to be over 60% of the men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. We outline the production and ambition of institute‐level QI reports to benchmark performance for radiation therapy in the treatment of prostate cancer. An expert clinician panel was assembled to create a list of candidate QIs based on a comprehensive literature review, and on modified Delphi‐method and expert‐consensus voting. A separate implementation group—including, clinicians, epidemiologists, data managers and data scientists—employed an evidence‐ and consensus‐ based approach to generate an effective QI report designed for automated production and regular distribution to participating institutes. Feedback from the recipient clinicians was sought to enable refinement of these reports. Seven QIs, including three related to post‐treatment symptoms, were deemed feasible to analyse with the currently available data. Utilising an existing report template employed for benchmarking of surgical indicators, a novel radiation therapy report was generated using registry data in a secure analytical environment. The first, beta version of these reports have been produced and confidentially distributed. It is planned to automatically generate these reports biannually and iteratively refine them based on the clinician input. QI reports for the treatment of prostate cancer by radiation oncologists have been produced using data from Australia and New Zealand patients. These are being disseminated to institutes on a six‐monthly basis allowing comparisons to de‐identified peers. The reports aim to facilitate improving patient outcomes, deepen engagement with the radiation oncology community and increase the breadth of PCOR–ANZ coverage. Additional QIs will be included in future iterations of these reports as data matures.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-1997
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-10-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2009
DOI: 10.1111/J.1753-6405.2009.00448.X
Abstract: Radical prostatectomy (RP) as a first line treatment of prostate cancer was rare prior to the advent of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing, yet little is known of its use and outcomes in a population setting. We described baseline characteristics of cases in the Victorian Radical Prostatectomy Register (VRPR), investigated possible associations between demographic characteristics and characteristics at diagnosis and at surgery and trends over time. The VRPR is a population-based series of all RPs performed in Victoria from July 1995 to December 2000 (n=2,154). On average, socio-economic status for cases was higher than for the general Victorian population (34% vs 20% in the highest quintile respectively, p<0.0001). The proportion of PSA-detected cases increased from 53% in 1995 to 79% in 2000 (p for linear trend=0.0004). Age at surgery and PSA levels at diagnosis decreased over time (p=0.006 and p=0.04 respectively). The proportion of cases with Gleason score < or =5 from RP decreased from 35% in 1995 to 14% in 2000, while cases with Gleason score 6-7 increased from 60% to 79%. Similar trends were observed for Gleason score from biopsy. We found little evidence of significant trends over time in other pathological characteristics relevant to prognosis. The VRPR provides a unique whole of population based description of radical prostatectomy in Victoria, confirms findings previously reported in single institution clinical series overseas such as migration to younger age at surgery and to Gleason scores 6 to 7, and provides a resource for evaluating RP outcomes in the future.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJROBP.2017.02.024
Abstract: To identify, through a systematic review, all validated tools used for the prediction of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients being treated with radiation therapy for prostate cancer, and provide a comparative summary of accuracy and generalizability. PubMed and EMBASE were searched from July 2007. Title/abstract screening, full text review, and critical appraisal were undertaken by 2 reviewers, whereas data extraction was performed by a single reviewer. Eligible articles had to provide a summary measure of accuracy and undertake internal or external validation. Tools were recommended for clinical implementation if they had been externally validated and found to have accuracy ≥70%. The search strategy identified 3839 potential studies, of which 236 progressed to full text review and 22 were included. From these studies, 50 tools predicted gastrointestinal/rectal symptoms, 29 tools predicted genitourinary symptoms, 4 tools predicted erectile dysfunction, and no tools predicted quality of life. For patients treated with external beam radiation therapy, 3 tools could be recommended for the prediction of rectal toxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity, and erectile dysfunction. For patients treated with brachytherapy, 2 tools could be recommended for the prediction of urinary retention and erectile dysfunction. A large number of tools for the prediction of PROMs in prostate cancer patients treated with radiation therapy have been developed. Only a small minority are accurate and have been shown to be generalizable through external validation. This review provides an accessible catalogue of tools that are ready for clinical implementation as well as which should be prioritized for validation.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2016
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2007
DOI: 10.1111/J.1442-2042.2006.01720.X
Abstract: Although increasing numbers of Australian men are undergoing treatment for localized prostate cancer (PCa), the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of this patient cohort has received little research attention. We therefore compared the mood and general HRQOL of Australian localized PCa patients with a s le of untreated men. A retrospective cross-sectional design was used to compare the longer-term positive and negative affect and general HRQOL of 82 radical prostatectomy (RP) cases, 39 external-beam radiation (EBRT), and 95 untreated comparison cases (CC). All PCa cases had undergone treatment more than 2 years prior to data collection. Levels of positive and negative affect did not differ with treatment modality. After adjusting for the variance attributable to age and comorbidity, RP, EBRT and CC group participants displayed similar general HRQOL profiles. Treatment dissatisfaction was higher among EBRT compared to RP cases (P = 0.024, two-tailed test). In the longer-term, mood did not vary significantly with PCa treatment. Furthermore, when age and comorbidity were taken into account, RP and EBRT patients had similar HRQOL profiles. While not statistically significant, the trend towards the importance of family, social and medical support among PCa patients requires further investigation.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 11-08-2020
DOI: 10.1093/JNCI/DJAA114
Abstract: ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of daily low-dose aspirin (100 mg) in older adults, showed an increase in all-cause mortality, primarily due to cancer. In contrast, prior randomized controlled trials, mainly involving younger in iduals, demonstrated a delayed cancer benefit with aspirin. We now report a detailed analysis of cancer incidence and mortality. 19 114 Australian and US community-dwelling participants aged 70 years and older (US minorities 65 years and older) without cardiovascular disease, dementia, or physical disability were randomly assigned and followed for a median of 4.7 years. Fatal and nonfatal cancer events, a prespecified secondary endpoint, were adjudicated based on clinical records. 981 cancer events occurred in the aspirin and 952 in the placebo groups. There was no statistically significant difference between groups for all incident cancers (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.95 to 1.14), hematological cancer (HR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.73 to 1.30), or all solid cancers (HR = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.95 to 1.15), including by specific tumor type. However, aspirin was associated with an increased risk of incident cancer that had metastasized (HR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.43) or was stage 4 at diagnosis (HR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.45), and with higher risk of death for cancers that presented at stages 3 (HR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.03 to 4.33) or 4 (HR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.64). In older adults, aspirin treatment had an adverse effect on later stages of cancer evolution. These findings suggest that in older persons, aspirin may accelerate the progression of cancer and, thus, suggest caution with its use in this age group.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.CLGC.2017.06.001
Abstract: Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease whose therapies frequently have adverse effects. Informed patient counseling regarding likely clinical outcomes is therefore important. In this systematic review we aimed to identify all external validations of tools that are used to predict clinical outcomes in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy and evaluate which are optimum for clinical implementation. PubMed and EMBASE were searched from 2007 to 2016. Search terms related to the inclusion criteria were: prostate cancer, clinical outcomes, radical prostatectomy, and prognosis. Titles and abstracts were screened and relevant studies were advanced to full-text review. Reference lists were reviewed for further studies. The Centre for Evidence Based Medicine prognostic tool was used for critical appraisal. Seventy-three studies externally validated 13 pre- and 41 postoperative tools for the prediction of biochemical recurrence (BCR), aggressive BCR, metastasis, and prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM). Recommendations for clinical implementation were made on the basis of accuracy, cohort sizes, and consistency. The accuracy of recommended tools ranged from 68% to 79% and 72% to 92% among the largest validation cohorts for pre- and postoperative tools. For preoperative prognosis we recommended the Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) and Stephenson nomograms for BCR, the CAPRA nomogram for aggressive BCR as well as metastasis, and the D'Amico criteria for PCSM. For postoperative prognosis we recommended the CAPRA-Surgery (CAPRA-S), Stephenson, Kattan, Duke prostate cancer (DPC), and the Suardi nomograms for the prediction of BCR, the DPC nomogram for aggressive BCR, the CAPRA-S and Eggener nomograms for metastasis, and the Eggener nomogram for PCSM. Use of these tools should help clinicians deliver accurate, evidence-based counseling to patients undergoing prostatectomy.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-10-2023
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.16195
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-03-2016
DOI: 10.1111/AJCO.12487
Abstract: To report on the presentation, management and outcomes of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) among people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We retrospectively reviewed patients with HIV and RCC in a statewide HIV referral center in Australia. Patients' medical records were reviewed to collect data on the HIV parameters at the time of RCC diagnosis, as well as presentation, management and outcomes of RCC. Seven patients with HIV and RCC were included in the current study. The median age at RCC diagnosis was 56 years (range: 44-62 years). At RCC diagnosis, six patients were on combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), and five had virological suppression. Three patients were symptomatic at presentation, while the rest were diagnosed incidentally. Two patients had metastatic RCC at diagnosis. All five patients with clinically localized RCC had radical artial nephrectomies, of which two patients with pT3a disease developed recurrence (pulmonary and bone) at 5 and 30 months postnephrectomies. One patient with metastatic RCC was treated with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors while continuing on ART. Four patients died of RCC at a median of 9 months (range: 4-16 months) following diagnosis of metastatic disease. Three patients were alive at a median follow-up of 16 months (range: 10-80 months). Our experience suggests that patients with HIV should be offered all treatment options in the same manner as the general population, taking into account their prognosis from HIV. Curative surgery should be considered for localized RCC. Potential drug interactions between ART drugs and targeted therapies for metastatic RCC need to be considered.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2003
DOI: 10.1016/S0360-3016(02)04213-X
Abstract: To document current Australian management of asymptomatic prostate cancer patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) relapse after radical treatment or considered unsuitable for radical treatment. Four case scenarios-postprostatectomy PSA relapse, postradiotherapy (RT) with a slow or a rapidly rising PSA level, or no radical treatment-were presented. Management preferences, including (where relevant) RT, androgen ablation either immediate or delayed until a PSA rise or symptomatic progression, and other approaches, were identified. The preferred methods of androgen ablation were noted. One hundred eighteen informative replies out of 324 e-mailed surveys were received. For postprostatectomy PSA relapse, 59% of respondents favored salvage RT. For post-RT with a slow or a rapidly rising PSA level and treatment of nonradical patients, there was no clear consensus of opinion, with respondents ided among the different options. A erse range of PSA levels was cited for delayed intervention, with values ranging from 0.8 to 100 ng/mL. PSA doubling time proved a more consistent criterion for determining intervention. Most respondents favored the use of a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist as first-line androgen ablation, although patient choice was recognized as important in all decision making. A lack of available evidence underlies the ersity of opinion regarding the management of asymptomatic prostate cancer patients with a rising PSA. The need for randomized controlled trials in this area is highlighted.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-10-2019
Abstract: The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with post-prostatectomy radiotherapy (PPRT) in a population-based cohort of Australian men. This is a prospective cohort of men with localised prostate cancer captured in the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry Victoria (PCOR-Vic), who received PPRT between January 2010 and December 2015. The primary outcome was ADT use with PPRT. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify patient, tumour and institutional factors influencing ADT use. 485 men were included in this study - 115 (24%) had pT2 disease, 231 (48%) pT3a, 134 (28%) pT3b and 5 (1%) pT4. Eighteen (4%) men had ISUP grade 1 disease, 139 (29%) ISUP grade 2, 170 (35%) ISUP grade 3 and 158 (33%) ISUP grade 4/5, while 267 (64%) men had positive surgical margins. Median time from prostatectomy to PPRT was 8.1 months (IQR = 5.3-13.9). Sixty-six (14%) patients had ADT with PPRT. In multivariate analyses, men who had increased age (OR = 1.06 95% CI = 1.01-1.11), seminal vesicle involvement (OR = 3.81 95% CI = 1.63-8.91) and underwent treatment in regional centres (OR = 2.17 95% CI = 1.08-4.33) were more likely to have ADT with PPRT. We reported that 14% of men treated with PPRT received ADT in a population-based cohort of Australian men, which was less than half of the proportion of ADT use with PPRT in the US. It will be of interest to evaluate the uptake of ADT with PPRT in the coming years following recent publications of level 1 evidence confirming overall survival benefits of ADT with PPRT.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2018
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-07-2018
DOI: 10.1111/ANS.14722
Abstract: To update patterns of care for men diagnosed with prostate cancer in Victoria, Australia between 2008 and 2015. From August 2008 to December 2015, 14 025 men diagnosed with prostate cancer were included. These data were obtained from the Prostate Cancer Outcome Registry - Victoria (PCOR-Vic). Frequencies were used to describe hospital and patient characteristics and treatment types. Comparisons were made between previous period of analysis (2008-2011) to the most recent period (2011-2015). Survival analysis using a stepwise Cox proportional hazards regression model was performed. Mean age of diagnosis was 66.5 years and 44% of patients were diagnosed with Gleason 7 prostate cancer. Majority of notifications (63.6%) were received from a private institution and 70.2% of patients were diagnosed at a metropolitan institution. Most patients (95.3%) were diagnosed with clinically localized disease. Within 12 months of diagnosis, 55.9% of patients with low-risk disease received no active treatment. Radical prostatectomy was the most common primary treatment with curative intent (47%). When comparing of patterns of care between 2008-2011 and 2011-2015, the proportion of patients diagnosed with Gleason 9-10 disease increased, as has the proportion of patients diagnosed with metastatic disease. With the PCOR-Vic, we were able to identify that increasing number of patients were diagnosed with high-risk and metastatic disease. There has been an overall decrease in radical treatment rates, likely due to active surveillance playing a significant role especially in patients with low-risk prostate cancer.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 12-2007
DOI: 10.1007/S10350-007-9062-X
Abstract: The standard management of rectal cancer continues to be defined by the results of randomized, clinical trials exploring the optimal timing and use of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy in relation to surgery. The patient with rectal cancer who is elderly and/or has significant comorbidities and the patient who refuses surgery are clinical contexts for which there is limited current data to guide decision making. A retrospective analysis was performed at six Australian centers of patients with rectal cancer treated with radiation therapy or chemoradiation alone because of excessive operative risk or patient refusal of surgery. We identified 48 patients treated between August 1998 and June 2005 with a median age of 76 (range, 49-94) years. Twenty-four patients (50 percent) were considered medically inoperable and 24 patients refused surgery. Treatment was with chemoradiation (with 5-fluorouracil) in 36 patients and radiotherapy alone in 12 patients 93 percent completed the planned therapy. A clinical complete response was seen in 56 percent and a partial response in 30 percent of patients. At a median follow-up of 49 months, 18 patients have disease progression, including 10 of 24 in the medically inoperable group and 8 of 24 in the refused surgery group. Of the 25 deceased patients, 16 died from progressive disease and 9 from noncancer causes. Chemoradiation or radiotherapy alone is a safe alternative that results in significant progression-free and overall survival times in patients who are considered medically inoperable or refuse to undergo surgery. Ultimately, however, many patients will progress.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 08-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.JURO.2018.02.071
Abstract: We sought to develop a core set of clinical indicators to enable international benchmarking of localized prostate cancer management using data available in the TrueNTH Global Registry. An international expert panel completed an online survey and participated in a face-to-face meeting. Participants included 3 urologists, 3 radiation oncologists, 2 psychologists, 1 medical oncologist, 1 nurse and 1 epidemiologist with prostate cancer expertise from a total of 7 countries. Current guidelines on prostate cancer treatment and potential quality indicators were identified from a literature review. These potential indicators were refined and developed through a modified Delphi process during which each panelist independently and repeatedly rated each indicator based on importance (satisfying the indicator demonstrated a provision of high quality care) and feasibility (the likelihood that data used to construct the indicator could be collected at a population level). The main outcome measure was items with panel agreement indicated by a disagreement index less 1, median importance 8.5 or greater and median feasibility 9 or greater. The expert panel endorsed 33 indicators. Seven of these 33 prostate cancer quality indicators assessed care relating to diagnosis, 7 assessed primary treatment, 1 assessed salvage treatment and 18 assessed health outcomes. We developed a set of quality indicators to measure prostate cancer care using numerous international evidence-based clinical guidelines. These indicators will be pilot tested in the TrueNTH Global Registry. Reports comparing indicator performance will subsequently be distributed to groups at participating sites with the purpose of improving the consistency and quality of prostate cancer management on a global basis.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.UROLONC.2017.03.007
Abstract: Recent literature reports inverse associations with ejaculator frequency and prostate cancer (PC). We sought to explore the relationship between ejaculatory frequency from ages 20 to 50 and subsequent development of aggressive PC. We conducted a case-control study s ling 2,141 men from private urology practices in Victoria, Australia. Cases were defined as men with high grade or high stage PC and controls being biopsy negative men. Ejaculation frequency recalled at age decades 20, 30, and 40 second was assessed by questionnaire. Unconditional multivariable logistic regression models were used to generate odds ratios (ORs). An inverse association with ejaculatory frequency at age 30 to 39 was observed (OR per 5-unit increase per week = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.72-0.96) but not at ages 20 to 29 (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.89-1.14) or ages 40 to 49 (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.81-1.12). This result differed between men with new sexual partners after age 30 (OR = 0.77, P = 0.009) and those with no new partners (OR = 0.97, P = 0.8) though the test for a difference between these estimates was not significant (P = 0.11). We found only weak evidence of an inverse association between ejaculatory frequency in the fourth decade of life and advanced PC, which was not significantly modified by number of new sexual partners. No relationship was found for ejaculatory frequency in the third and fifth decades of life.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-06-2017
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.13889
Abstract: To determine whether the use of nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) for treatment of stage 1 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) changed between 2009 and the end of 2013 in Australia. All adult cases of RCC diagnosed in 2009, 2012 and 2013 were identified through the population-based Victorian Cancer Registry. For each identified patient, trained data-abstractors attended treating hospitals or clinician rooms to extract tumour and treatment data through medical record review. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were carried out to examine the significance of change in use of NSS over time, after adjusting for potential confounders. A total of 1 836 patients with RCC were identified. Of these, the proportion of cases with stage 1 tumours was 64% in 2009, 66% in 2012 and 69% in 2013. For T1a tumours, the proportion of patients residing in metropolitan areas receiving NSS increased from 43% in 2009 to 58% in 2012 (P < 0.05), and 69% in 2013 (P < 0.05). For patients residing in non-metropolitan areas, the proportion receiving NSS increased from 27% in 2009 to 49% in 2012, and 61% in 2013 (P < 0.01). Univariable logistic regression showed patients with moderate (odds ratio [OR] 0.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.35-0.94) or severe comorbidities (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.33-0.99), residing in non-metropolitan areas (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.47-0.90), were less likely to be treated by NSS, while those attending high-volume hospitals (≥30 cases/year: OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.21-2.65) and those with higher socio-economic status (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.02-2.07) were more likely to be treated by NSS. In multivariable analyses, patients with T1a tumours in 2012 (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.34-2.97) and 2013 (OR 3.15, 95% CI 2.13-4.68) were more likely to be treated by NSS than those in 2009. For T1b tumours, use of NSS increased from 8% in 2009 to 20% in 2013 (P < 0.05). This population-based study of the management of T1 renal tumours in Australia found that the use of NSS increased over the period 2009 to 2013. Between 2009 and 2013 clinical practice for the treatment of small renal tumours in Australia has increasingly conformed to international guidelines.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2005
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-08-2015
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.13097
Abstract: To characterise clinicopathological characteristics of prostate cancer among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive men and to evaluate the current practice patterns in the management of prostate cancer in these men. We retrospectively reviewed all patients with HIV in the State-wide HIV referral centre in Victoria, who were diagnosed with prostate cancer from 2000 onwards. In all, 12 patients were identified, and the medical records were reviewed to collect data on HIV parameters at the time of prostate cancer diagnosis, as well as prostate cancer clinicopathological characteristics, treatment details and outcomes. At the time of prostate cancer diagnosis, eight patients had undetectable viral load, and the median cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) count was 485 cells/μL. The average age at diagnosis of prostate cancer was 63 years and the median prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level of 11.1 ng/mL. Four patients had Gleason 6 prostate cancer, four Gleason 7, one Gleason 8 and three Gleason 9. Seven of the 12 patients had a positive family history for prostate cancer. Of the patients with clinically localised prostate cancer (10), most were treated with radiotherapy (RT): one permanent seed brachytherapy (BT), five external beam RT (EBRT), two open radical prostatectomies (RP), one active surveillance (AS), and one on watchful waiting (WW). For the two patients with metastatic disease, one had androgen-deprivation therapy and EBRT, while the other had a combination of EBRT and chemo-hormonal therapy with doxetacel. All patients were followed for a median of 46 months, with three deaths reported, none of which was a prostate cancer-specific death. This is the first Australasian series on prostate cancer management in a HIV population. With the prolonged survival among HIV-positive men in the highly active anti-retroviral therapy era, PSA testing should be offered to this group of patients, especially those with a positive family history. HIV-positive men should also be offered all treatment options in the same manner as men in the general population.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-2008
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-1987
Abstract: A case of thymoma was diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration cytology based on an intimate admixture of a biphasic cell population consisting of epithelial cells and lymphocytes from an intrathoracic mass. The diagnosis was later confirmed by light and electron microscopic examination of the tissue.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2000
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-1994
DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(94)90209-7
Abstract: Acute hypoxemic respiratory failure is the major complication of coronavirus disease 2019, yet optimal respiratory support strategies are uncertain. We aimed to describe outcomes with high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation in coronavirus disease 2019 acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and identify in idual factors associated with noninvasive respiratory support failure. Retrospective cohort study to describe rates of high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula and/or noninvasive positive pressure ventilation success (live discharge without endotracheal intubation). Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard models were used to identify patient characteristics associated with high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula and/or noninvasive positive pressure ventilation failure (endotracheal intubation and/or in-hospital mortality). One large academic health system, including five hospitals (one quaternary referral center, a tertiary hospital, and three community hospitals), in New York City. All hospitalized adults 18-100 years old with coronavirus disease 2019 admitted between March 1, 2020, and April 28, 2020. None. A total of 331 and 747 patients received high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation as the highest level of noninvasive respiratory support, respectively 154 (46.5%) in the high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula cohort and 167 (22.4%) in the noninvasive positive pressure ventilation cohort were successfully discharged without requiring endotracheal intubation. In adjusted models, significantly increased risk of high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation failure was seen among patients with cardiovascular disease (subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.82 95% CI, 1.17-2.83 and subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.40 95% CI, 1.06-1.84, respectively). Conversely, a higher peripheral blood oxygen saturation to Fio A significant proportion of patients receiving noninvasive respiratory modalities for coronavirus disease 2019 acute hypoxemic respiratory failure achieved successful hospital discharge without requiring endotracheal intubation, with lower success rates among those with comorbid cardiovascular disease or more severe hypoxemia. The role of high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation in coronavirus disease 2019-related acute hypoxemic respiratory failure warrants further consideration.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 05-2015
DOI: 10.1111/JSM.12867
Abstract: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common complication following prostate cancer treatment. Post-treatment erectile function (EF) preservation is strongly dependent on the baseline EF prior to treatment. To assess the baseline EF among patients with localized prostate cancer, and the factors associated with baseline EF. All men with clinically localized prostate cancer had their baseline EF assessed prior to brachytherapy at our institution. Six hundred ninety-nine men who completed the International Index of Erectile Function five-item questionnaires pre-treatment between 2001 and 2013 were included in the study. Data on patient factors (medical comorbidities and smoking history) and prostate cancer clinicopathological characteristics were recorded. Ordinal logistic regressions were used to estimate the effects of each variable on the severity of ED. Baseline EF among men with localized prostate cancer, and factors associated with ED. Prior to permanent seed brachytherapy, 335 (48%) patients reported no ED, 129 (17%) mild ED, 42 (6%) mild–moderate ED, 37 (5%) moderate ED, and 165 (24%) severe ED. In multivariate analyses, age, diabetes, and hypertension remained to be independently associated with ED, with diabetes most strongly associated with worse ED (odds ratio = 2.6 95% confidence interval = 1.3–5.3). ED is common among patients with localized prostate cancer prior to any curative treatment. Assessment of baseline ED is important prior to curative treatment of prostate cancer in order to offer appropriate advise on likelihood of EF preservation post-treatment and avoid patient dissatisfaction with treatment outcomes due to unrealistic expectations.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-11-2016
Abstract: Long-term data from three randomized trials have demonstrated that adjuvant radiation therapy (ART) reduces the rate of biochemical failure in high-risk men following radical prostatectomy (RP). One of these trials has shown a survival advantage. We investigated the rate of ART in Victoria and the predictors for this treatment. We analysed data from eligible patients who were notified to the Victorian Prostate Cancer Registry (PCR) by 37 Victorian hospitals between 1 August 2008 and 31 October 2011. We defined ART as radiation therapy (RT) delivered within 6 months of RP. Predictors of ART receipt were modelled using adjusted and unadjusted logistic regression. There were 4626 eligible cases from which 2018 underwent RP with recorded date of surgery. Of these eligible prostatectomy cases, a total of 89 received ART. A subgroup of 833 men had an adverse pathologic feature, of whom 78 received ART. In a multivariate model, pathologic tumour stage pT3a (odds ratio (OR) 2.64 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-5.00 P = 0.003), pT3b (OR 4.58 95% CI 2.12-9.89 P = 0.000), a positive surgical margin (OR 8.91 95% CI 4.61-17.2 P = 0.000) and pathologic Gleason grade >7 (OR 7.18 95% CI 1.54-33.6 P = 0.012) predicted receipt of ART. Adverse pathologic features and high pathologic Gleason score predict for receiving ART in Victorian men after RP, but overall, ART is not commonly prescribed. This finding is consistent with other published series and may reflect clinician scepticism regarding the benefit of ART over salvage RT and concern about toxicity and the risk of over treatment.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2006
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJROBP.2005.12.007
Abstract: To evaluate the impact of an alternative biochemical failure (bF) definition on the performance of existing plus de novo prognostic models. The outcomes data of 1,458 Australian and 703 Canadian men treated with external-beam radiation monotherapy between 1993 and 1997 were analyzed using a lowest prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level to date plus 2 ng/mL (L + 2) bF definition. Two existing prognostic models were scrutinized using discrimination (Somers Dxy [SDxy]) and calibration indices. Alternative prognostic models were also created using recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) and multivariate nomogram methods for comparison. Discrimination of bF was improved using the L + 2 definition compared with the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) definition using both the three-level risk model (SDxy 0.30 and 0.22, respectively) or the nomogram (SDxy 0.35 and 0.27, respectively). Both existing prognostic models showed only modest calibration accuracy. Using RPA, five distinct risk groups were identified based primarily on Gleason score (GS) and all subsequent isions based on PSA. All GS 7-10 tumors were intermediate or high risk. This model and the developed nomogram showed improved discrimination over the existing models as well as accurate calibration against the Canadian data, apart from the 30-50% failure region. The L + 2 definition of bF provides improved capacity for discrimination of failure risk. New prognostic models based on this endpoint have overall statistical performance superior to those based on the ASTRO consensus definition but continue to have unreliable discrimination in the intermediate-risk region.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-04-2018
DOI: 10.1111/AJCO.12875
Abstract: This study aims to assess characteristics of patients with prostate cancer for whom clinical T stage category (cT) was not documented in the medical record and assess whether specialists had concordant conclusions regarding cT based on digital rectal examination (DRE) notes. Data from the Prostate Cancer Outcome Registry - Victoria (PCOR-Vic) were interrogated. Four specialists independently assigned cT to DRE notes. Words, or part thereof, associated with agreement between clinicians were identified. Of the 10 587 men, cT was documented in 8758 (82.7%) cases. Multivariate analysis indicated that poor cT documentation was associated with older patient age (odds ratio [OR] 0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66-0.99 if 75.1-85 years OR 0.50, 95%CI 0.36-0.72 if >85 years) diagnosis via transperineal compared to transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy (TRUS) (OR 0.68, 95%CI 0.51-0.91) diagnosed in a private hospital (OR 0.85, 95%CI 0.75-0.96) and a diagnostic Gleason score of >8 compared to ≤6 (OR 0.59, 95%CI = 0.48-0.73). cT was more likely documented in men diagnosed via transurethral resection of prostate (OR 2.06, 95%CI 1.64-2.58) compared to TRUS and/or if receiving treatment in a radiotherapy center (OR 3.44, 95%CI 2.80-4.23 for external beam radiotherapy OR 3.57 95%CI 2.44-5.23 for brachytherapy and OR 1.34, 95%CI 1.06-1.69 for combination surgery and radiotherapy) compared to those undergoing radical prostatectomy. Agreement in cT assignment ranged from kappa of 0.158 to 0.582. Stem word components in DRE notes associated with poorest level of agreement were "abnorm," "hard," "nodul" and those with highest level of agreement were terms "benign" and "smooth." Mode of diagnosis/subsequent treatment, and cancer characteristics were associated with cT documentation. Third party interpretation of clinical notes is problematic.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 15-07-2013
Abstract: Anal squamous cell carcinoma is more common in HIV-positive homosexual men than in the general population and prognosis worsens with increasing tumour size. To identify opportunities for earlier diagnosis, we aimed to determine size and visibility of anal squamous cell carcinoma at diagnosis. We conducted a retrospective review of medical records between 1992 and 2010 from one hospital radiotherapy centre, a major centre for HIV care, in Melbourne, Australia. Of 128 cases of anal squamous cell carcinoma, 24 (19%) were in HIV-positive men. At diagnosis, half (52%) of the tumours were externally visible and mean estimated tumour size was 36 mm (29 mm in HIV-positive and 38 mm in HIV-negative patients p = 0.04) and 114/121 (94%) tumours were 1 cm or larger. The most frequent symptoms were bleeding (43%) and pain (36%) and mean duration of symptoms was 22 weeks. This suggests most anal squamous cell carcinoma were visible or palpable for some time before diagnosis, meaning that screening high-risk groups by anal inspection and palpation is plausible.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.CLML.2013.09.011
Abstract: Guidelines for the management of symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM) recommend upfront autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for transplant-eligible patients. Using population-based data, we examined the characteristics of transplant-eligible patients who do not undergo upfront ASCT. Altogether, 686 newly diagnosed MM cases were identified through the population-based central cancer registry in Victoria, Australia from 2008 to 2009. We performed a detailed review of clinical notes and follow-up for at least 12 months after diagnosis for a subset of 225 patients who were aged < 70 years at diagnosis and had symptomatic MM. Of these 225 patients, 123 (55%) proceeded to receive upfront ASCT. Patient and disease factors associated with not receiving upfront ASCT were the presence of severe medical comorbidities, MM-associated renal impairment, and initial referral to a medical oncologist rather than a hematologist. Place of residence (rural vs. metropolitan) was not significant. Of 121 patients aged < 65 years at diagnosis who had minor or no comorbidities, only 75 (62%) proceeded to upfront ASCT. A substantial percentage of apparently transplant-eligible patients with newly diagnosed MM do not proceed to upfront ASCT. Community practice appears to erge from clinical guidelines. The reasons for this ergence require further study but reasons may include perceptions of toxicity vs. benefits of upfront ASCT.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.BRACHY.2012.03.004
Abstract: High-dose-rate brachytherapy is an established technique to deliver a conformal dose of radiation to patients with prostate cancer. The William Buckland Radiotherapy Center has been performing high-dose-rate brachytherapy with external beam radiation treatment for prostate cancer since 1998 and has an extensive prospective database on all patients treated. The purpose of this analysis was to assess the risk of stricture formation and identify the predictive or causative factors. Three hundred fifty-four patients were treated between 1998 and 2008. Patients received one of three differing dose schedules: 20Gy in four treatments (20Gy/4), 18Gy/3, and 19Gy/2 during three sequential time periods. Nelson-Aalen cumulative hazard modeling was used to estimate risk of events over time. Potential risk factors, including dose, were identified and used in the analysis. There were 45 patients who developed at least one stricture, an overall risk of 8.2% at 2 years. The 2-year risk of stricture formation was 3.4%, 2.3%, and 31.6% for 18Gy/3, 20Gy/4, and 19Gy/2, respectively. Most strictures occurred in the bulbomembranous urethra (50%) or external sphincter region (33%). On multivariable analysis, the dose schedule used was the only significant predictor for increased stricture formation. In our patients, those who received 19Gy/2 were at a significantly higher risk of stricture formation. Most of these strictures were mild, requiring only one intervention but a 2-year stricture risk of 31.6% was striking, and we have modified our protocol.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-2006
DOI: 10.1111/J.1445-2197.2006.03665.X
Abstract: The management and outcomes of muscle-invasive bladder cancer are described in this article. A retrospective survey of medical practitioners involved in the management of bladder cancer was conducted. The survey obtained at least 5 years of follow-up data on all patients. The s le was taken from the public and private health sectors in Victoria. All were cases of muscle-invasive bladder cancer diagnosed between 1990 and 1995. The main outcome measures included reported management by staging, treatment and survival. Completed questionnaires were returned for 743 (89.6%) of 829 cases. Of these, 523 (70.4%) were men, and the mean age was 72.7 years. More than 75% of the cases (560) presented with macroscopic haematuria. The majority (696, 94%) had transitional cell carcinoma. A variety of treatments were given in various sequences, with 231 cases (31.1%) having initial surveillance. Eventually, 303 cases (40.8%) proceeded to 'definitive' management with either radiotherapy (132, 17.8%) or cystectomy (171, 23.0%). In addition, chemotherapy was given to 254 patients (34.2%) at some time. Most patients (613, 82.5%) have subsequently died 402 (54%) died from bladder cancer. Crude 5-year survival was 13.0%, and disease-specific survival was 27.7%. Multivariate analysis identified the following predictors of greater disease-specific survival: grade 1 or 2 histopathology (P = 0.0003), T2 primary (P < 0.0001), N0 disease (P = 0.04), M0 disease (P 70 Gy and cystectomy (P < 0.0001). Muscle-invasive bladder cancer in Victoria typically occurs in elderly patients, and a notable proportion of these patients do not proceed onto 'definitive' treatment. Disease stage, cystectomy and the use of high doses of radiation are associated with better outcomes. Chemotherapy was given to approximately one-third of patients at some point in their disease management. Our data are similar to population-based data from North America, and provide a baseline against which potential changes in management of bladder cancer can be compared.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-09-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2001
DOI: 10.1016/S0360-3016(00)00789-6
Abstract: At the William Buckland Radiotherapy Center (WBRC), field-only electronic portal image (EPI) hard copies are used for radiation treatment field verification for whole brain, breast, chest, spine, and large pelvic fields, as determined by a previous study. A subsequent research project, addressing the quality of double exposed EPI hard copies for sites where field only EPI was not considered adequate to determine field placement, has been undertaken. The double exposed EPI hard copies were compared to conventional double exposed port films for small pelvic, partial brain, and head and neck fields and for a miscellaneous group. All double exposed EPIs were captured during routine clinical procedures using liquid ion chamber cassettes. EPI hard copies were generated using a Visiplex multi-format camera. In sites where port film remained the preferred verification format, the port films were generated as per department protocol. In addition EPIs were collected specifically for this project. Four radiation oncologists performed the evaluation of EPI and port film images independently with a questionnaire completed at each stage of the evaluation process to assess the following: Adequacy of information in the image to assess field placement. Adequacy of information for determining field placement correction. Clinician's preferred choice of imaging for field placement assessment The results indicate that double exposed EPI hard copies generally do containsufficient information to permit evaluation of field placement and can replace conventionaldouble exposed port films in a significant number of sites. These include the following:pelvis fields < 12 X 12 cm, partial brain fields, and a miscellaneous group. However forradical head and neck fields, the preferred verification image format remained port film dueto the image hard copy size and improved contrast for this media. Thus in this departmenthard copy EPI is the preferred modality of field verification for all sites except radical headand neck treatments. This should result in an increase in efficiency of workloadmanagement and patient care.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-02-2016
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.13258
Abstract: To establish a Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry-Australia and New Zealand (PCOR-ANZ) for monitoring outcomes of prostate cancer treatment and care, in a cost-effective manner. Stakeholders were recruited based on their interest, importance in achieving the monitoring and reporting of clinical practice and patient outcomes, and in amalgamation of existing registries. Each participating jurisdiction is responsible for local governance, site recruitment, data collection, and data transfer into the PCOR-ANZ. To establish each local registry, hospitals and clinicians within a jurisdiction were approached to voluntarily contribute to the registry following relevant ethical approval. Patient contact occurs following notification of prostate cancer through a hospital or pathology report, or from a cancer registry. Patient registration is based on an opt-out model. The PCOR-ANZ is a secure web-based registry adhering to ISO 27001 standards. Based on a standardised minimum data set, information on demographics, diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, and patient reported quality of life, are collected. Eight of nine jurisdictions have agreed to contribute to the PCOR-ANZ. Each jurisdiction has commenced implementation of necessary infrastructure to support rapid rollout. PCOR-ANZ has defined a minimum data set for collection, to enable analysis of key quality indicators that will aid in assessing clinical practice and patient focused outcomes. PCOR-ANZ will provide a useful resource of risk-adjusted evidence-based data to clinicians, hospitals, and decision makers on prostate cancer clinical practice.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-08-2016
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-04-2016
DOI: 10.1002/JMRS.170
Publisher: American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Date: 20-02-2013
DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2013.31.6_SUPPL.143
Abstract: 143 Background: We aimed to use a population based quality registry established in Australia, to review patient-reported health-related QOL after the diagnosis of Prostate Cancer (PCa). Methods: Prospective registry of men with PCa from statutory notifications to the canonical population-based cancer registry in Victoria. An "opt-off" mechanism used. Coverage expanded from 30%-80% of State population over time. Demographics and disease features, management, and outcomes from medical record men phoned at 12 and 24 months (m), interviewed with script including SF12 and items from standard form (UCLA PCI) for specific QOL outcomes. Urinary, rectal, and sexual function bother (UB, RB, and SB) scores where analysed by univariate and multivariable modelling for relationship of these with presentation or management factors, adjusting for risk. Results: Men from 8/2008 - 2/2011 1.9% of eligible opted out. Followed 1172 to 12 & 24 m. Median diagnosis age 65 yr median PSA 6.8 ng/mL 97.3% clinically localised with 47.7% having NCCN intermediate risk. 520 had treatment with Radical Prostatectomy (RP) (89 also with external beam-EBRT), 171 had EBRT (with or without HDR brachy), and 211 seed implant (SI). 226 had no treatment (NT) in the first 12 m. 52.5% managed in public hospitals, rest private. Univariate analysis: UB associated with management type, and hospital type, and RB and SB associated with these factors, as well as age and disease stage. On multivariate regression SB at 12 m was associated with increasing age (p=0.002) and radical treatment types (RP and EBRT/HDR, p .001 and 0.003 respectively)—except SI—compared to NT RB was associated with SI (0.02) and EBRT/HDR (0.007) and treatment in a public hospital (0.006) and UB was associated with public hospital ( .001). All associations at 12 m remained significant at 24 m. SF12 physical score had a positive association with RP vs NT (0.014), hospital type (0.001) and younger age. SF12 mental health also showed associations. Conclusions: A large scale registry in Australia assessing patient-reported quality of life outcomes after prostate cancer treatment shows patterns similar to that seen in North American reports.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-10-2013
DOI: 10.1111/BJU.12204
Abstract: To describe the contemporary patterns of care for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) using a whole of population series from Victoria. Retrospective review of medical records of all patients diagnosed and treated for RCC in Victoria in 2009. Patients were identified via the State-wide Victorian Cancer Registry. Patient demographic characteristics, symptoms, stage, and first-line treatment were assessed. Associations between case residential location (metropolitan or rural) and treatment were examined using multivariate logistic regression after adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, treatment in private or public hospital and comorbidity. Data were obtained for 499 of 577 eligible patients. In all, 413 patients (83%) underwent surgery. Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (RN) was the most common procedure for Stage I pT1a T1b tumours (51.2%) partial nephrectomy (PN) was performed for 27% of Stage I RCC In multivariate analysis, regional patients were less likely to receive PN (odds ratio [OR] 0.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.18-0.85) for Stage I RCC, and less likely to receive systemic therapy for Stage IV RCC (OR 0.06, 95% CI 0.01-0.41). Multidisciplinary team meetings were recorded for only 25% of patients and 3% were enrolled in a clinical trial. Most contemporary patients diagnosed with RCC are still treated with RN, including those with smaller tumours amenable to PN. This may impact future outcomes, including increased risk of chronic kidney disease and its potential financial healthcare burden. Patterns of treatment also appear to differ between metropolitan and regional populations.
No related grants have been discovered for Jeremy Millar.