Tailoring prostate cancer external beam radiotherapy for patients with lower urinary tract symptoms

Abstract

Background: This narrative review aims to examine the biological mechanisms of toxicity in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) receiving prostate cancer (PCa) external beam radiotherapy (RT), as well as possible strategies to prevent genitourinary (GU) toxicity following PCa RT in men with BPH, through the adaptation of both medical, surgical, and irradiation strategies.

Methods: A broad literature search was performed in November 2024 in the PubMed database with the terms "prostate cancer", "prostate epithelial cells", "prostate stromal cells", "radiation therapy", "lower urinary tract symptoms", "stereotactic body radiotherapy", "transurethral resection of the prostate", "enucleation".

Results: RT affects several pathophysiological contributors to LUTS, such as urothelial dysfunction, prostatic inflammation and bladder fibrosis. While preexisting LUTS appear to be a risk factor to develop severe GU toxicity following PCa RT, the development of strategies reducing the incidental dose delivered to urinary structures appears to be particularly relevant. Urethra-sparing strategies holds the potential to reduce the onset of severe GU toxicity following PCa RT. The relationship between the highest doses delivered to the bladder and the onset of severe GU toxicity highlight the pivotal role of image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) for PCa RT. Aggressive margin reduction from 4 mm to 2 mm demonstrated its ability to halve the risk to develop severe GU toxicity 2 years following SBRT. De-escalation in either dose or target volume represent appealing strategies, currently assessed within prospective trials. Both assessment and optimization of urinary function through medical or surgical approaches is mandatory before RT.

Conclusion: Strategies designed to reduce the planned and delivered dose to functional structures hold promise for the limitation of urinary toxicity after PCa RT. Further efforts should be made to adapt surgical and irradiation techniques in men with BPH, with the development of studies dedicated to this population of patients.

Keywords: Benign prostate hyperplasia; Bladder neck; Intraprostatic urethra; Prostate cancer; Stereotactic body radiotherapy; Urinary toxicity.