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Background and purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate chronologic changes in lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), health-related (HR) quality of life (QOL), and disease-specific QOL during the first 12 months after salvage radiotherapy (SRT) for biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer in patients who underwent radical prostatectomy. Materials and methods In 81 patients who received SRT (70 Gy/35fr/7 weeks), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), 36-Item Short Form scores, and UCLA-Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI) were recorded before, during, and immediately after SRT, and 1–12 months after the completion of SRT. Results The total IPSS and storage symptom-related sum were significantly increased following initiation of SRT, and returned to the baseline 6 months after SRT. For three of eight domains of HRQOL, and the physical component summary score showed transient deterioration in the period between completion of SRT and 1 month following SRT. The UCLA-PCI for urinary function/bother and bowel function/bother was affected until 1–6 months after SRT. Conclusions This is the first report to concurrently evaluate detailed chronologic changes in LUTS and QOL in patients who received SRT. Knowledge of changes in LUTS and QOL outcomes associated with SRT may influence treatment recommendations and enable patients to make better-informed decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to prospectively assess the variations in health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in patients who underwent low–dose rate prostate brachytherapy using iodine-125 seed source during the first year after seed implantation. Methods and Materials: Between July 2004 and December 2006, 109 patients underwent low–dose rate brachytherapy. The Medical Outcomes study 36-Item Short Form; the University of California, Los Angeles-Prostate Cancer Index; and the International Index of Erectile Function-5 were evaluated before and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after seed implantation. Results: In Medical Outcomes study 36-Item Short Form analyses and the HR-QoL scores were well preserved during the first year after seed implantation. In the University of California, Los Angeles-Prostate Cancer Index analyses, the urinary function and bother scores showed significant decrease during 6 months after seed implantation. The bowel function and bother scores showed significant decrease at 3 months after seed implantation. The sexual function score showed significant decrease at 3, 6, and 12 months after seed implantation, whereas the sexual bother score showed no change during the first year. The International Index of Erectile Function-5 score dramatically decreased at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after seed implantation. Conclusions: The general HR-QoL in the patients who underwent seed implantation was well preserved during the first year after seed implantation, whereas the urinary, bowel, and sexual function and bother scores showed transient deterioration during the first year after seed implantation. Especially, sexual function showed significant deterioration in Japanese men after seed implantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]