• Tracy M Downs, Natalia Sadetsky, David J Pasta, Gary D Grossfeld, Christopher J Kane, Shilpa S Mehta, Peter R Carroll, and Deborah P Lubeck.
• Department of Urology, Program in Urologic Oncology, Urologic Outcomes Research Group, UCSF/Mt. Zion Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California-San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
• J. Urol. 2003 Nov 1; 170 (5): 1822-7.

PurposeWe measured the impact brachytherapy monotherapy (BMT) has on general and disease specific health related quality of life (HRQOL) compared to patients treated with radical prostatectomy (RP).Materials And MethodsWe studied 419 men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer who enrolled in CaPSURE (Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urological Research Endeavor) data base whose primary treatment was brachytherapy monotherapy (92) or radical prostatectomy (327). The validated RAND 36-Item Health Survey and the UCLA Prostate Cancer Index were used to measure HRQOL before treatment and at 6-month intervals during the first 2 years after treatment.ResultsPatients treated with BMT or RP did not differ greatly in general HRQOL after treatment. Both treatment groups showed early functional impairment in most general domains with scores returning to or approaching baseline in most domains 18 to 24 months after treatment. Patients treated with BMT had significantly higher urinary function scores at 0 to 6 months after treatment (84.5, SD 18.7) than patients treated with RP (63.3, SD 26.6). Urinary bother scores at 0 to 6 months after treatment were not significantly different between patients treated with BMT (67.7, SD 31.2) and those treated with RP (67.4, SD 29.1). Both treatment groups had decreases in sexual function that did not return to pretreatment levels.ConclusionsOverall BMT and RP are well tolerated procedures that cause mild changes in general HRQOL. Disease specific HRQOL patterns are different in patients treated with BMT or RP. Baseline and serial HRQOL measurements after treatment can provide valuable information regarding expected quality of life outcome after treatment for localized prostate cancer.

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