Low-dose rate brachytherapy for men with localized prostate cancer

Localized prostate cancer has not spread outside the prostate gland. LDR-BT is short-distance internal radiotherapy. Low-energy radioactive sources with a short half-life are implanted permanently into the prostate. We reviewed the published research on this treatment to investigate how effective and safe it is. Unfortunately, we identified only one randomized controlled trial comparing LDR-BT versus RP. The results were considerably prone to bias. Important survival outcomes were not reported. Due to lack of research studies, it has not been proven whether patients treated with this procedure live longer than patients treated with treatment alternatives. In this single study, after the intervention, a rise in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was similarly likely to occur after LDR-BT and RP, but this finding does not resolve the question of whether cancer was truly present again in both groups. Urinary incontinence was less frequent after LDR-BT and urinary irritation was less frequent after RP at a short-term follow up at 6 months. No results were reported at 12 and 60 months. Significant differences after long-term follow up were not identified for patient-reported outcomes. At present, the question whether LDR-BT is a favorable treatment compared to other treatment alternatives in patients with localized prostate cancer remains unanswered.