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There are no agreed upon measures to comprehensively determine the quality of radiation oncology (RO) care delivered for prostate cancer. Consequently, it is difficult to assess the implementation of scientific advances and adherence to best practices in routine clinical practice. To address this need, the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Radiation Oncology Program established the VA Radiation Oncology Quality Surveillance (VA ROQS) Program to develop clinical quality measures to assess the quality of RO care delivered to Veterans with cancer. This article reports the prostate cancer consensus measures.The VA ROQS Program contracted with the American Society for Radiation Oncology to commission a Blue Ribbon Panel of prostate cancer experts to develop a set of evidence-based measures and performance expectations. From February to June 2021, the panel developed quality, aspirational, and surveillance measures for (1) initial consultation and workup, (2) simulation, treatment planning, and delivery, and (3) follow-up. Dose-volume histogram (DVH) constraints to be used as quality measures for definitive and post-prostatectomy radiation therapy were selected. The panel also identified the optimal Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5.0 (CTCAE V5.0), toxicity terms to assess in follow-up.Eighteen prostate-specific measures were developed (13 quality, 2 aspirational, and 3 surveillance). DVH metrics tailored to conventional, moderately hypofractionated, and ultrahypofractionated regimens were identified. Decision trees to determine performance for each measure were developed. Eighteen CTCAE V5.0 terms were selected in the sexual, urinary, and gastrointestinal domains as highest priority for assessment during follow-up.This set of measures and DVH constraints serves as a tool for assessing the comprehensive quality of RO care for prostate cancer. These measures will be used for ongoing quality surveillance and improvement among veterans receiving care across VA and community sites. These measures can also be applied to clinical settings outside of those serving veterans.

Robust detection of implanted fiducials is essential for monitoring intrafractional motion during hypofractionated treatment. The authors developed a plan optimization strategy to ensure clear visibility of implanted fiducials and facilitate 3D localization during volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT).Periodic kilovoltage (kV) images were acquired at 20° gantry intervals and paired with simultaneously acquired 4.4° short arc megavoltage digital tomosynthesis (MV-DTS) to localize three fiducials during VMAT delivery for hypofractionated prostate cancer treatment. Beginning with the original optimized plan, control point segments where fiducials were consistently blocked by multileaf collimator (MLC) within each 4.4° MV-DTS interval were first identified. For each segment, MLC apertures were edited to expose the fiducial that led to the least increase in the cost function. Subsequently, MLC apertures of all control points not involved with fiducial visualization were reoptimized to compensate for plan quality losses and match the original dose-volume histogram. MV dose for each MV-DTS was also kept above 0.4 MU to ensure acceptable image quality. Different imaging (gantry) intervals and visibility margins around fiducials were also evaluated.Fiducials were consistently blocked by the MLC for, on average, 36% of the imaging control points for five hypofractionated prostate VMAT plans but properly exposed after reoptimization. Reoptimization resulted in negligible dosimetric differences compared with original plans and outperformed simple aperture editing: on average, PTV D98 recovered from 87% to 94% of prescription, and PTV dose homogeneity improved from 9% to 7%. Without violating plan objectives and compromising delivery efficiency, the highest imaging frequency and largest margin that can be achieved are a 10° gantry interval, and 15 mm, respectively.VMAT plans can be made to accommodate MV-kV imaging of fiducials. Fiducial visualization rate and workflow efficiency are significantly improved with an automatic modification and reoptimization approach.

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Very few comparative studies to date evaluate the results of treatment options for prostate cancer using the most sensitive measurement tools. PSA has been identified as the most sensitive tool for measuring treatment effectiveness. To date, comprehensive unbiased reviews of all the current literature are limited for prostate cancer. This is the first large scale comprehensive review of the literature comparing risk stratified patients by treatment option and with long-term follow-up. The results of the studies are weighted, respecting the impact of larger studies on overall results. The study identified a lack of uniformity in reporting results amongst institutions and centres. A large number of studies have been conducted on the primary therapy of prostate cancer but very few randomized controlled trials have been conducted. The comparison of outcomes from individual studies involving surgery (radical prostatectomy or robotic radical prostatectomy), external beam radiation (EBRT) (conformal, intensity modulated radiotherapy, protons), brachytherapy, cryotherapy or high intensity focused ultrasound remains problematic due to the non-uniformity of reporting results and the use of varied disease outcome endpoints. Technical advances in these treatments have also made long-term comparisons difficult. The Prostate Cancer Results Study Group was formed to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of prostate cancer treatments. This international group conducted a comprehensive literature review to identify all studies involving treatment of localized prostate cancer published during 2000-2010. Over 18,000 papers were identified and a further selection was made based on the following key criteria: minimum/median follow-up of 5 years; stratification into low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups; clinical and pathological staging; accepted standard definitions for prostate-specific antigen failure; minimum patient number of 100 in each risk group (50 for high-risk group). A statistical analysis (standard deviational ellipse) of the study outcomes suggested that, in terms of biochemical-free progression, brachytherapy provides superior outcome in patients with low-risk disease. For intermediate-risk disease, the combination of EBRT and brachytherapy appears equivalent to brachytherapy alone. For high-risk patients, combination therapies involving EBRT and brachytherapy plus or minus androgen deprivation therapy appear superior to more localized treatments such as seed implant alone, surgery alone or EBRT. It is anticipated that the study will assist physicians and patients in selecting treatment for men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer.

There has recently been a resurgence of interest in iodine-125 (I-125) prostate implantation for early stage carcinoma due to the introduction of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) or computerized-tomographic (CT)-based transperineal techniques. The present study details initial tumor response and morbidity of CT-based transperineal prostate implantation. Forty-two patients with clinical stage T1 or T2 prostatic carcinoma had CT-planned transperineal I-125 implantation of the prostate and have been followed for 6–47 months (median: 19 months). Thirty-eight patients had an elevated PSA before implantation (>4.0 ng/ml). A total of 35–73 mCi I-125 was implanted (median: 48 mCi). At 1 year after implantation, 84% of 29 palpable tumors were no longer palpable. Of 38 patients with an elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) prior to implantation, 98% returned to normal within 12 months of treatment. In 74% of patients, the PSA value fell to below 1.0 ng/ml within 12 months of implantation. Of 25 patients who were sexually potent prior to implantation, 80% remained potent at 3 years. Four patients developed radiation-induced rectal ulcerations 9–19 months following implantation. Of those four patients, one has healed spontaneously, two are improving, and one was diagnosed only 1 month prior to this report. Initial tumor response to I-125 implantation is comparable to that achieved with external beam irradiation, with acceptable morbidity and high preservation of sexual potency. With adjustments in technique, morbidity is expected to be lower in the future. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.