Author

Somaya Eid

Date of Award

2009

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Program

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Supervisor

Dr. George Rodrigues

Abstract

Introduction: The objectives of this study were to assess the health-related quality-of-life

(HRQOL) and late toxicity effects of External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) on prostate cancer (PC) patients treated with a hypofractionated course of EBRT (>73 Gy) and to further cross-validate the Prostate Cancer Radiation Toxicity (PCRT) questionnaire. Methods: AcrosssectionalstudywasperformedusingtheEPIC(genericprostateHRQOL instrument), PCRT (specific prostate radiotherapy instrument HRQOL/late toxicity), and an unvalidated exit global HRQOL/late toxicity questionnaire. The initial sample size was calculated to be 276. Baseline variables of interest were abstracted from the medical recoreds.

Results: Response rate was 69 % (190 participants). Mean age was 75.8 years (SD 5.5) and the mean time of questionnaire completion after radiotherapy was 852 days (SD 335 days). Mean scores for EPIC GU (85.1 SD 12.9), GI (84.1 SD 15.8), S (21.8 SD 20.7), and H (85.3 SD 13.7) as well as PCRT GU (66.1 SD 15.3), GI (83.6 SD 14.3), and S (39.4 SD 21.6) domains were calculated. Wefoundsignificantassociationsbetweenadverseeffectsongenitourinarytractand planning target volume-bladder overlap for PCRT GU domain scores. In comparison with the lower dose cohort no differences in GI/GU/S/H EPIC scores were observed.

Conclusion: HypofractionatedEBRTforPCresultedinexcellentGI,andGUscores,andpoorS scores. The PCRT domains continue to demonstrate construct/discriminant validity. The PCRT has the advantage of being a compact instrument providing normally distributed HRQOL GI/GU domain scores.

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