Carcinoma of the prostate treated by pelvic node dissection, iodine-125 seed implant and external irradiation: a study of rectal complications.

The University of Missouri-Columbia protocol for localised cancer of the prostate calls for pelvic node dissection, 10000 cGy at the periphery of the prostate from 125I and 4000 cGy in 20 fractions to the whole pelvis using supervoltage X-ray therapy. Rectal complications were studied in 104 patients; acute and chronic reactions were defined. During external irradiation 54% did not develop diarrhoea, 43% had mild diarrhoea and 3% had severe diarrhoea. In the chronic stage 77% did not have diarrhoea, 12% had delayed, non-distressing rectal bleeding which did not need specific treatment or needed only simple treatment, 7% had prolonged distressing proctitis and 4% had rectal ulceration or recto-urethral fistula necessitating colostomy. Each of the four patients who had colostomy had an additional aetiological factor (arterial disease, pelvic inflammation, additional radiation, pelvic malignancy or second operation). None of the patients entered in the combined brachytherapy and teletherapy programme, and in whom 0.5 cm space was maintained between the closest seed and the rectal mucosa, developed prolonged proctitis.