Abstract

Purpose: To assess long-term prostate-specific antigen (PSA) outcome after permanent prostate brachytherapy (BT) and identify predictors of improved disease-free survival. Methods and Materials: Eleven institutions combined data on 2,693 patients treated with permanent interstitial BT monotherapy for T1–T2 prostate cancer. Of these patients, 1,831 (68%) were treated with I-125 (median dose, 144 Gy) and 862 (32%) were treated with Pd-103 (median dose, 130 Gy). Criteria for inclusion were: available pre-BT PSA, BT ≥5 years before data submission, BT between 1988–1998, and no androgen deprivation before failure. The median follow-up was 63 months. Results: Among patients where the I-125 dose to 90% of the prostate (D90) was ≥130 Gy, the 8-year PSA relapse-free survival (PRFS) was 93% compared with 76% for those with lower D90 dose levels (p 2.0 ng/mL (p 2.0 ng/mL (p < 0.001). Among patients free of biochemical relapse at 8 years, the median nadir level was 0.1 ng/mL, and 90% of these patients achieved a nadir PSA level <0.6 ng/mL. Conclusions: Outcome after permanent BT for prostatic cancer relates to tumor stage, Gleason score, pretreatment PSA, BT year, and post-BT dosimetric quality. PSA nadir ≤0.5 ng/mL was particularly associated with durable long-term PSA disease-free survival. The only controllable factor to impact on long-term outcome was the D90 which is a reflection of implant quality.