Prostate irradiation as an alternative to the conventional management of benign prostatic hypertrophy

Abstract

To help determine the efficacy of radiation therapy (RT) as an alternative to conventional treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), seven patients were treated at Hahnemann University Hospital (Philadelphia, PA), between November 1981 and May 1988, with megavoltage RT for BPH. Indications for treatment included severely symptomatic disease while having medical contraindications to, or refusal of conventional treatments. Doses ranged from 2,000 to 2,400 cGy, using 300400 cGy fractions twice per week for 2.5-3 weeks. Radiation was delivered using 6 MV photons. All patients experienced good relief of both irritative and obstructive symptoms. Six of seven patients remained free of recurrent symptoms. There were no short-or long-term complications. These preliminary data suggest that there may be a future role for RT in the treatment of BPH in the medically inoperable patient. However, further study is needed before this can be seriously considered a standard treatment alternative. Rudiut Oncol Invest 1995;3:72-76. 0 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.