Abstract
Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS) are useful metrics in evidence-based clinical care and
translational research. Recording treatment-related symptoms and Quality of Life (QoL) can provide
information in counselling patients to aid decision-making. This prospective study tested the feasibility
of radiographer-led collection of multiple validated PROMS from Prostate Cancer (PCa) patients comparing High Dose Rate Brachytherapy combined with hypo-fractionated external beam radiotherapy (hEBRT)
and hEBRT alone.
From June to August 2017, 20 men with localised PCa (T1-T3aN0M0) consented to participate in the
study. Ten patients received combination treatment (37.5 Gray/15 fractions followed by a 15 Gray
implant), and ten patients received monotherapy (60 Gray/20 fractions). PROMS were collected at four
time-points (1) at baseline, (2) final fraction of hEBRT, (3) 8 weeks after commencing radiotherapy and
(4) 12 weeks after commencing radiotherapy. The PROMS used were EPIC-26, IPSS, IIEFF-5 and SF-12.
The difference between the two groups were tested using Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon SignedRank Test.
All participants completed all PROMS (100% response-rate). The Monotherapy group reported a higher
incidence of bowel symptoms compared to the combination group and at Week 12, EPIC-26 bowel summary score demonstrated a statistically significant difference (p = 0.005). The prevalence of erectile dysfunction increased within both groups. Maintenance of QoL was reported throughout treatment.
This small study demonstrated feasibility of radiographer-led PROMS collection by 100% completion
rate. Streamlining of these tools into integrated technology applications and real time PROMS measurement has the ability to benefit patients and guide clinicians in adapting therapies based on individual
need.
translational research. Recording treatment-related symptoms and Quality of Life (QoL) can provide
information in counselling patients to aid decision-making. This prospective study tested the feasibility
of radiographer-led collection of multiple validated PROMS from Prostate Cancer (PCa) patients comparing High Dose Rate Brachytherapy combined with hypo-fractionated external beam radiotherapy (hEBRT)
and hEBRT alone.
From June to August 2017, 20 men with localised PCa (T1-T3aN0M0) consented to participate in the
study. Ten patients received combination treatment (37.5 Gray/15 fractions followed by a 15 Gray
implant), and ten patients received monotherapy (60 Gray/20 fractions). PROMS were collected at four
time-points (1) at baseline, (2) final fraction of hEBRT, (3) 8 weeks after commencing radiotherapy and
(4) 12 weeks after commencing radiotherapy. The PROMS used were EPIC-26, IPSS, IIEFF-5 and SF-12.
The difference between the two groups were tested using Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon SignedRank Test.
All participants completed all PROMS (100% response-rate). The Monotherapy group reported a higher
incidence of bowel symptoms compared to the combination group and at Week 12, EPIC-26 bowel summary score demonstrated a statistically significant difference (p = 0.005). The prevalence of erectile dysfunction increased within both groups. Maintenance of QoL was reported throughout treatment.
This small study demonstrated feasibility of radiographer-led PROMS collection by 100% completion
rate. Streamlining of these tools into integrated technology applications and real time PROMS measurement has the ability to benefit patients and guide clinicians in adapting therapies based on individual
need.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 18-25 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Technical Innovations and Patient Support in Radiation Oncology |
| Volume | 9 |
| Early online date | 22 Feb 2019 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published online - 22 Feb 2019 |
Keywords
- prostate cancer
- Hypo-fractionated
- HDR brachytherapy
- Patient-reported outcome measures
- Quality of life
