Urinary infection or radiation cystitis? A prospective evaluation of urinary symptoms in patients submitted to pelvic radiotherapy

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI) in patients with cystitis symptoms who underwent pelvic radiation therapy and identify correlated predictive factors.METHODS:A prospective cohort study was conducted of patients who met the following: primary pelvic cancer treated with curative intent, older than 18 years old, and good performance status. The exclusion criteria were patients being treated for a UTI, using a urinary catheter, in dialysis or with cystostomy or nephrostomy, and using antibiotics during treatment. Urinalysis and urine culture were collected before the beginning of radiation therapy. Weekly evaluations of urinary symptoms were subsequently performed. In cases of new or worsening symptoms, a questionnaire was applied, and new urine exams were collected. The UTI diagnosis was defined by uroculture as bacterial growth greater than 104 CFU/mL.RESULTS:From September 2014 to November 2015, 112 patients were sequentially recruited, and 72 (64%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. During follow-up, 24 (33%) patients had new urinary symptoms or worse preexisting symptoms. A UTI was confirmed in the second urinary culture in only one (1.4%) patient.CONCLUSIONS:The incidence of UTI was much lower than expected, suggesting that asymptomatic bacteriuria develops symptoms due to radiotherapy. Due to the low rate of UTI, no predictive factor was identified.

Association between patient with muscle-invasive bladder cancer with the incidence of urinary tract infection in Karawang Regional Hospital: a single center study

“…The only link between radiotherapy and UTI is seen in a study by Xavier et al, which shows that radiotherapy worsens cystitis, and one patient eventually develops a UTI. 14 Contrary to popular belief that chemotherapy cause immunosuppression in the cancer patient, cisplatin-based chemotherapy has an immunomodulating effect that enhances immune activity in the tumor microenvironment through the stimulation of MHC class I expression, promotes recruitment and proliferation of effector T-cells, and upregulates cytotoxic T-cell antitumor activity. [15][16][17] Cisplatinbased chemotherapy is also relatively safe and causes less infection.…”