125Iodine prostate implants for recurrent carcinomas after external beam irradiation: Preliminary results

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Abstract
Fourteen patients with locally recurrent prostate carcinomas after external beam irradiation received 125I seed implants at Stanford [Stanford University Medical Center, California, USA] between 1975-1979. Clinical local control was obtained in 11 of the 14 patients for follow-up periods of 6-36 mo. Eight remain without evidence of disease; 2 of the 3 patients whose pelvic lymph nodes were involved by carcinoma developed distant metastases. Complications, consisting of cystoproctitis, urinary incontinence or the development of a vesicorectal fistula, occurred in 4 of the 14 patients. These complications were noted only in those patients who had implantation of high intensity 125I seeds (> 0.50 mCi) into large prostatic volumes (.gtoreq. 50 cc). No complications occurred in patients who received lower intensity 125I seed implants in smaller prostatic volumes. 125I seed implants may be used in a 2nd attempt to obtain local control after a local relapse following external beam irradiation, if the use of high intensity 125I sources and/or the implantation of large prostate volumes are avoided.