I-125 BRACHYTHERAPY FOR CLINICALLY LOCALIZED PROSTATE-CANCER - A 5-YEAR FOLLOW-UP OF OUTCOME AND COMPLICATIONS

Thirty-seven patients with clinically localized prostate cancer of all grades were treated by suprapubic digitally guided implantation of I- 125 seeds. The median age at the time of diagnosis was 68 years. The m ean follow-up period was 62 +/- 19 months. At last follow-up 18 patien ts were clinically free of disease; 11 deaths occurred: 9 from prostat e cancer and 2 from another disease. Complications occurred in 24 pati ents most commonly urgency and proctitis, attributable to the treatmen t. Four patients had severe late rectal complications, and 2 patients died of sepsis secondary to rectal fistulae. Digitally directed retrop ubic implantation of I-125 appears inferior to other treatments of cli nically confined prostate cancer both regarding outcome as well as com plication rate.