Urology
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Review Comparative Study
Comparison of late rectal toxicity from conventional versus three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for prostate cancer: analysis of clinical and dosimetric factors.
To compare late rectal toxicity (LRT) after definitive radiotherapy (DR) and salvage radiotherapy (SR) in prostate cancer using conventional (CONV) or three-dimensional conformal (3-D) techniques. ⋯ The prescribed radiation dose and percentage of rectal volume treated to 60 or 70 Gy had statistically significant correlations with increased LRT. The rate of grade 2 or worse LRT was greater for patients undergoing SR than for those undergoing DR. We believe that continued close attention to dosimetric variables is imperative for future studies of dose escalation.