Patients with a Short Distance Between the Prostate and the Rectum Are Appropriate Candidates for Hydrogel Spacer Placement to Prevent Short-Term Rectal Hemorrhage After External-Beam Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer

Radiation therapy, including external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and brachytherapy, is curative for localized prostate cancer. Hydrogel spacer (HS) placement between the rectum and prostate is popular for reducing radiation-related complications. Criteria to identify patients who benefit from HS...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shunsuke Owa, Takeshi Sasaki, Akito Taniguchi, Kazuki Omori, Taketomo Nishikawa, Momoko Kato, Shinichiro Higashi, Yusuke Sugino, Yutaka Toyomasu, Akinori Takada, Kouhei Nishikawa, Yoshihito Nomoto, Takahiro Inoue
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Current Oncology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/32/7/385
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849406730505551872
author Shunsuke Owa
Takeshi Sasaki
Akito Taniguchi
Kazuki Omori
Taketomo Nishikawa
Momoko Kato
Shinichiro Higashi
Yusuke Sugino
Yutaka Toyomasu
Akinori Takada
Kouhei Nishikawa
Yoshihito Nomoto
Takahiro Inoue
author_facet Shunsuke Owa
Takeshi Sasaki
Akito Taniguchi
Kazuki Omori
Taketomo Nishikawa
Momoko Kato
Shinichiro Higashi
Yusuke Sugino
Yutaka Toyomasu
Akinori Takada
Kouhei Nishikawa
Yoshihito Nomoto
Takahiro Inoue
author_sort Shunsuke Owa
collection DOAJ
description Radiation therapy, including external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and brachytherapy, is curative for localized prostate cancer. Hydrogel spacer (HS) placement between the rectum and prostate is popular for reducing radiation-related complications. Criteria to identify patients who benefit from HS placement would be clinically valuable. In a retrospective analysis of 430 patients with localized prostate cancer treated between November 2010 and March 2023 with ≥2 years of follow-up, we evaluated the incidence of rectal hemorrhage and its association with the median distance at the midpoint between the prostate and the rectum (mDPR) on pretreatment MRI. Rectal hemorrhage occurred in 6% of HS cases and 18% of non-HS cases (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Among 268 patients who received EBRT (±brachytherapy), the incidence was 9% with HS and 30% without HS (<i>p</i> < 0.001). In non-HS cases, the rate in patients with mDPR ≤ 1.62 mm was higher than in those with mDPR > 1.62 mm (24% vs. 12%, respectively; <i>p</i> = 0.04). In patients with EBRT and mDPR ≤ 1.62 mm, HS significantly reduced hemorrhage (9% vs. 39%, respectively; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified mDPR and HS as independent predictors of rectal hemorrhage (both <i>p</i> = 0.02). Thus, HS placement may be safely omitted in non-EBRT cases with mDPR ≥ 1.62 mm.
format Article
id doaj-art-632cd44c404b44e2aa988942bbc7c607
institution Kabale University
issn 1198-0052
1718-7729
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Current Oncology
spelling doaj-art-632cd44c404b44e2aa988942bbc7c6072025-08-20T03:36:18ZengMDPI AGCurrent Oncology1198-00521718-77292025-07-0132738510.3390/curroncol32070385Patients with a Short Distance Between the Prostate and the Rectum Are Appropriate Candidates for Hydrogel Spacer Placement to Prevent Short-Term Rectal Hemorrhage After External-Beam Radiotherapy for Prostate CancerShunsuke Owa0Takeshi Sasaki1Akito Taniguchi2Kazuki Omori3Taketomo Nishikawa4Momoko Kato5Shinichiro Higashi6Yusuke Sugino7Yutaka Toyomasu8Akinori Takada9Kouhei Nishikawa10Yoshihito Nomoto11Takahiro Inoue12Department of Nephro-Urologic Surgery and Andrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, JapanDepartment of Nephro-Urologic Surgery and Andrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, JapanDepartment of Radiology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, JapanDepartment of Radiology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, JapanDepartment of Nephro-Urologic Surgery and Andrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, JapanDepartment of Nephro-Urologic Surgery and Andrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, JapanDepartment of Nephro-Urologic Surgery and Andrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, JapanDepartment of Nephro-Urologic Surgery and Andrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, JapanDepartment of Radiology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, JapanDepartment of Radiology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, JapanDepartment of Nephro-Urologic Surgery and Andrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, JapanDepartment of Radiology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, JapanDepartment of Nephro-Urologic Surgery and Andrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, JapanRadiation therapy, including external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and brachytherapy, is curative for localized prostate cancer. Hydrogel spacer (HS) placement between the rectum and prostate is popular for reducing radiation-related complications. Criteria to identify patients who benefit from HS placement would be clinically valuable. In a retrospective analysis of 430 patients with localized prostate cancer treated between November 2010 and March 2023 with ≥2 years of follow-up, we evaluated the incidence of rectal hemorrhage and its association with the median distance at the midpoint between the prostate and the rectum (mDPR) on pretreatment MRI. Rectal hemorrhage occurred in 6% of HS cases and 18% of non-HS cases (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Among 268 patients who received EBRT (±brachytherapy), the incidence was 9% with HS and 30% without HS (<i>p</i> < 0.001). In non-HS cases, the rate in patients with mDPR ≤ 1.62 mm was higher than in those with mDPR > 1.62 mm (24% vs. 12%, respectively; <i>p</i> = 0.04). In patients with EBRT and mDPR ≤ 1.62 mm, HS significantly reduced hemorrhage (9% vs. 39%, respectively; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified mDPR and HS as independent predictors of rectal hemorrhage (both <i>p</i> = 0.02). Thus, HS placement may be safely omitted in non-EBRT cases with mDPR ≥ 1.62 mm.https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/32/7/385prostate cancerradiation therapyhydrogel spacer
spellingShingle Shunsuke Owa
Takeshi Sasaki
Akito Taniguchi
Kazuki Omori
Taketomo Nishikawa
Momoko Kato
Shinichiro Higashi
Yusuke Sugino
Yutaka Toyomasu
Akinori Takada
Kouhei Nishikawa
Yoshihito Nomoto
Takahiro Inoue
Patients with a Short Distance Between the Prostate and the Rectum Are Appropriate Candidates for Hydrogel Spacer Placement to Prevent Short-Term Rectal Hemorrhage After External-Beam Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer
Current Oncology
prostate cancer
radiation therapy
hydrogel spacer
title Patients with a Short Distance Between the Prostate and the Rectum Are Appropriate Candidates for Hydrogel Spacer Placement to Prevent Short-Term Rectal Hemorrhage After External-Beam Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer
title_full Patients with a Short Distance Between the Prostate and the Rectum Are Appropriate Candidates for Hydrogel Spacer Placement to Prevent Short-Term Rectal Hemorrhage After External-Beam Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer
title_fullStr Patients with a Short Distance Between the Prostate and the Rectum Are Appropriate Candidates for Hydrogel Spacer Placement to Prevent Short-Term Rectal Hemorrhage After External-Beam Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer
title_full_unstemmed Patients with a Short Distance Between the Prostate and the Rectum Are Appropriate Candidates for Hydrogel Spacer Placement to Prevent Short-Term Rectal Hemorrhage After External-Beam Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer
title_short Patients with a Short Distance Between the Prostate and the Rectum Are Appropriate Candidates for Hydrogel Spacer Placement to Prevent Short-Term Rectal Hemorrhage After External-Beam Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer
title_sort patients with a short distance between the prostate and the rectum are appropriate candidates for hydrogel spacer placement to prevent short term rectal hemorrhage after external beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer
topic prostate cancer
radiation therapy
hydrogel spacer
url https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/32/7/385
work_keys_str_mv AT shunsukeowa patientswithashortdistancebetweentheprostateandtherectumareappropriatecandidatesforhydrogelspacerplacementtopreventshorttermrectalhemorrhageafterexternalbeamradiotherapyforprostatecancer
AT takeshisasaki patientswithashortdistancebetweentheprostateandtherectumareappropriatecandidatesforhydrogelspacerplacementtopreventshorttermrectalhemorrhageafterexternalbeamradiotherapyforprostatecancer
AT akitotaniguchi patientswithashortdistancebetweentheprostateandtherectumareappropriatecandidatesforhydrogelspacerplacementtopreventshorttermrectalhemorrhageafterexternalbeamradiotherapyforprostatecancer
AT kazukiomori patientswithashortdistancebetweentheprostateandtherectumareappropriatecandidatesforhydrogelspacerplacementtopreventshorttermrectalhemorrhageafterexternalbeamradiotherapyforprostatecancer
AT taketomonishikawa patientswithashortdistancebetweentheprostateandtherectumareappropriatecandidatesforhydrogelspacerplacementtopreventshorttermrectalhemorrhageafterexternalbeamradiotherapyforprostatecancer
AT momokokato patientswithashortdistancebetweentheprostateandtherectumareappropriatecandidatesforhydrogelspacerplacementtopreventshorttermrectalhemorrhageafterexternalbeamradiotherapyforprostatecancer
AT shinichirohigashi patientswithashortdistancebetweentheprostateandtherectumareappropriatecandidatesforhydrogelspacerplacementtopreventshorttermrectalhemorrhageafterexternalbeamradiotherapyforprostatecancer
AT yusukesugino patientswithashortdistancebetweentheprostateandtherectumareappropriatecandidatesforhydrogelspacerplacementtopreventshorttermrectalhemorrhageafterexternalbeamradiotherapyforprostatecancer
AT yutakatoyomasu patientswithashortdistancebetweentheprostateandtherectumareappropriatecandidatesforhydrogelspacerplacementtopreventshorttermrectalhemorrhageafterexternalbeamradiotherapyforprostatecancer
AT akinoritakada patientswithashortdistancebetweentheprostateandtherectumareappropriatecandidatesforhydrogelspacerplacementtopreventshorttermrectalhemorrhageafterexternalbeamradiotherapyforprostatecancer
AT kouheinishikawa patientswithashortdistancebetweentheprostateandtherectumareappropriatecandidatesforhydrogelspacerplacementtopreventshorttermrectalhemorrhageafterexternalbeamradiotherapyforprostatecancer
AT yoshihitonomoto patientswithashortdistancebetweentheprostateandtherectumareappropriatecandidatesforhydrogelspacerplacementtopreventshorttermrectalhemorrhageafterexternalbeamradiotherapyforprostatecancer
AT takahiroinoue patientswithashortdistancebetweentheprostateandtherectumareappropriatecandidatesforhydrogelspacerplacementtopreventshorttermrectalhemorrhageafterexternalbeamradiotherapyforprostatecancer