Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34277088›Full record

ArticleReports of practical oncology and radiotherapy : journal of Greatpoland Cancer Center in Poznan and Polish Society of Radiation Oncology2021

Effect of patient thickness on acute gastrointestinal toxicities following radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Robert Pisani, Paul Bezzina, Jose Guilherme Couto

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Reports of practical oncology and radiotherapy : journal of Greatpoland Cancer Center in Poznan and Polish Society of Radiation Oncology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Robert PisaniDepartment of Radiography, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
Paul BezzinaDepartment of Radiography, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
Jose Guilherme CoutoDepartment of Radiography, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThere is conflicting literature regarding the effect of patient size on radiotherapy toxicities. This study aimed to determine whether there is any association between patient thickness and severity and incidence of acute GI toxicities of prostate cancer patients receiving VMAT radiotherapy. The impact of confounding factors was also examined: rectal dose, age and lymph node irradiation. MATERIALS AND

methodsThis study used a non-experimental, retrospective, descriptive and cross-sectional design. All patients who complied with the inclusion criteria (n = 96) were included. GI toxicity scores (baseline and last week of radiotherapy), rectal dose, lymph nodes irradiation and patient age at diagnosis were collected from the treatment file. Patient separations were measured from the CT-Simulator images. Statistical tests were performed to analyse the influence of these factors on acute GI toxicities.

resultsPatient thickness was shown to have no statistically significant effect on the incidence (p = 0.947 for antero-posterior and p = 0.839 for lateral thicknesses), and severity (p = 0.986 and 0.905, respectively) of acute GI toxicities. Severity of GI toxicities increased following radiotherapy: the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) score increased by 2.64 from baseline (p < 0.001). The confounding factors had no statistically significant effect on toxicities (p > 0.05).

conclusionAs expected, most patients experienced an increase in GI toxicity following radiotherapy. No relationship was established between patient thickness and the severity or incidence of acute GI toxicities, adding to the existing body of knowledge. Therefore, all patients should receive adequate follow up, irrespective of size. Side-effect recording tools should be implemented systematically for continuous assessment of this relationship.

Indexed as

gastrointestinal toxicitypatient sizeprostate cancerseparationthickness

Identifiers

PMID34277088
PMCPMC8281905

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