PP41
Different opinions toward salvage prostate brachytherapy: an Uro-GEC Delphi study
M. Kaljouw
AMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Introduction: Despite the effectiveness of radiotherapy to treat prostate cancer, there are still
patients that will experience a local relapse.
Although data are preliminary, brachytherapy seems an attractive treatment option for recurrent
prostate cancer after previous radiotherapy. The UroGEC group of the GEC-ESTRO conducted a Delphi
study, to explore the expert’s opinion on the management of salvage prostate brachytherapy (SPB).
Methods: For this study, a series of digital questionnaires was send to 33 radiation oncologists and
urologists. Selected participants were corresponding authors in published papers on SPB or physicians
otherwise closely involved in SPB.
The questionnaire comprised three different topics. The topics were (A) patient selection, (B)
diagnostic tests necessary for patient selection and (C) how to perform SPB.
For each question the consensus rate was calculated. Consensus was defined as at least 80%
agreement between participants.
Results: Eighteen participants completed all three rounds of the Delphi study. Nine participants were
involved with SPB of 25 patients or less, nine with 25 to more than hundred patients. Consensus was
reached in 52% of topic A, in 50% of topic B, and in in 22% of topic C.
Relevant outcome results of the different topics with the related remarks will be discussed.
Conclusions: The group was able to find consensus on less than half of the topics. Most consensuses
were reached on topics involving patient selection and diagnostic tests, where participants relied on
their experience of daily practice. However, the majority of the participants had limited experience in
the way to perform the salvage treatment in which is probably the reason for more disagreement
between participants compared to the two other topics.
This study provides useful information on issues of uncertainty and disagreement that needs to be
resolved in future trials.
Poster Presentations
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