Population-based patient-reported quality of life outcomes following low-dose-rate versus high-dose-rate brachytherapy monotherapy for low-intermediate risk prostate cancer

Introduction: To evaluate patient reported quality of life outcomes (QoL) following low-dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR-BT) and high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) monotherapy for prostate cancer at a population-based setting. Methods: The study comprised men with low-intermediate risk prostate cancer in the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry Victoria (PCOR-Vic), who were treated with LDR-BT or HDR-BT monotherapy between 2015 and 2020 and completed the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-26) questionnaire 12-month post-treatment. Men who had ADT were excluded (n = 12). Differences in substantial symptoms (i.e. ‘moderate’ or ‘big’ problem on a 5-point Likert scale) between LDR-BT and HDR-BT arms were evaluated using Pearson's chi-squared test. Multivariable linear regressions were used to estimate differences in EPIC-26 urinary, bowel and sexual functional domain scores between LDR-BT and HDR-BT arms. Results: Overall, 198 men were included in this study, of which 167 (84%) had LDR-BT and 31 (16%) had HDR-BT. 9 (4.6%), 10 (5.1%) and 56 (28%) reported substantial symptoms for overall urinary, bowel and sexual function at 12-month post-treatment, with no significant difference between LDR-BT and HDR-BT arms. The adjusted mean differences in urinary incontinence, urinary obstructive, bowel and sexual function domain scores between LDR-BT and HDT-BT were: −3.53 (−8.21 to 1.14), −1.27 (−6.88 to 4.35), −0.01 (−5.63 to 5.63) and −8.68 (−21.44 to 4.07) respectively – these were not statistically significant and did not meet the minimal clinically important difference. Conclusion: This is the first Australian population-based study comparing QoL in men who had LDR-BT and HDR-BT, with no statistically or clinically significant differences in QoL observed at 12-month post-treatment.