Quality of life > 5 years after prostate cancer radiation therapy with a radiopaque viscous hydrogel spacer

Background: Perirectal spacers are injected to decrease the dose to the rectum and prevent rectal toxicity in prostate cancer radiotherapy.Advantages of a radiopaque viscous hydrogel spacer are a good visibility in computed tomography and improved placement control.The aim of this study was to demonstrate unaffected long-term bowel quality of life (QoL) in comparison to baseline levels, independently from radiotherapy (RT) treatment technique.Materials and Methods: Patients responded to the EPIC (Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite) questionnaire before RT, at the last day of RT, 3 months, >12 months and >60 months after RT (n=27).A significant QoL change was defined as a statistically significant mean change >5 points in comparison to baseline.Results: The largest mean bowel domain changes were found at the end of RT (>10 points in the function and bother subdomains, respectively).Function subdomain changes remained without a significant difference in comparison to baseline at all later points in time (<3 points, respectively).In the bother subdomain, changes remained >5 points and statistically significant (8 and 6 points after >12 and >60 months, repsectively).In contrast to patients after pelvic node RT, the difference after >60 months was <5 points for patients after prostate only RT (12 vs. 4 points with vs. without pelvic node RT).Conclusion: The first QoL analysis after RT with a radiopaque viscous hydrogel spacer showed unaffected long-term bowel QoL in patients with limitation of the target volume to the prostate.