Long-term evaluation of urinary, sexual, and quality of life outcomes after brachytherapy for penile carcinoma

Dimitri Gambachidze, Cédric Lebacle, Pierre Maroun, Alexandre Escande, Alberto Bossi, Pierre Blanchard, Eric Deutsch, Christine Haie-Meder, Cyrus Chargari

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    Abstract

    Purpose: Brachytherapy (BT) is an effective organ-preserving treatment for selected localized penile carcinoma, providing high local control rates. Long-term functional results however, are still insufficiently evaluated. Methods and Materials: All consecutive patients treated with low-dose-rate or pulse-dose-rate BT in our institute for a localized penile cancer and who were in first complete remission and followed for at least 3 years were included. A self-reporting questionnaire was sent, to assess: 1/urinary function, 2/sexual function, 3/cosmetic aspect of the penis, and 4/quality of life. Results: Thirty-nine patients fulfilled inclusion criteria and were sent the questionnaire. Twenty-three patients (59%) answered. Median age was 63.4 years, (interquartile range [IR]: 49.7–67.0). Median followup was 5.9 years (IR: 5.2–6.7). The urinary scores showed moderate lower urinary tract symptoms. During the followup, a urethral dilation or self-catheterization had been necessary in 30% and 13%, respectively. Sixteen (70%) patients continued to maintain a sexual activity and the erectile dysfunction was mild. Finally, quality of life was good with a median score of 80/100 (IR = 65–90) and was only impacted by pain (p = 0.02). Overall, 57% and 39% declared having none or moderate pain/discomfort, respectively. Conclusions: Although this questionnaire needs to be validated in an independent cohort, our results show the moderate impact of BT on functional outcomes, confirming that it is an adequate first-intent organ-sparing strategy in patients with localized penile carcinoma.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)221-226
    Number of pages6
    JournalBrachytherapy
    Volume17
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2018

    Keywords

    • Brachytherapy
    • Functional assessment
    • Penile carcinoma
    • Quality of life
    • Toxicity

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