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Brachytherapy

HDR vs LDR Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer (BrachyQOL Trial)

N/A
Waitlist Available
Led By Francois Bachand, MD
Research Sponsored by British Columbia Cancer Agency
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
High risk prostate cancer with one of the following factors: T3a, Gleason Score 8-10, PSA > 20, Positive prostate biopsy within 6 months (reviewed centrally), International Prostate Symptom Score < 16, Prostate volume < 60 cc, Negative staging CT and Bone scan within 3 months prior to registration, History and physical examination within 90 days prior to registration, European Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-1 prior to registration, Age > 45, Patient suitable for procedure under anesthesia
Upper tier intermediate risk with at least 2 of the following factors: Tumor-Nodes-Metastases Tumor stage T2B or greater, Gleason Score 7, PSA > 10, > 50% of the biopsies positive
Must not have
Previous prostatectomy, cryotherapy or High Intensity Focussed Ultrasound for prostate cancer
Previous pelvic irradiation or prostate brachytherapy
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up 10 years
Awards & highlights
No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial is testing whether a high dose or low dose of radiation is better for treating prostate cancer without surgery. They also want to know if there are any side effects from either dose and if quality of life is affected.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for men with intermediate to high-risk prostate cancer, who have not had surgery. They must have at least two of certain risk factors like a tumor stage T2B or higher, Gleason Score of 7, PSA over 10, or more than half their biopsies positive; or one high-risk factor like T3a stage, Gleason Score 8-10, or PSA over 20.
What is being tested?
The study compares two types of brachytherapy 'boosts' added to external beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer: High Dose Rate (HDR) and Low Dose Rate (LDR). It aims to see if HDR leads to better survival rates without the disease getting worse and has fewer side effects and improved life quality compared to LDR.
What are the potential side effects?
Potential side effects from both HDR and LDR brachytherapy may include discomfort at the treatment site, urinary issues such as frequency or urgency, bowel changes like diarrhea, erectile dysfunction, and fatigue.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
Select...
My prostate cancer is intermediate risk with at least 2 of these: T2B or higher stage, Gleason Score 7, PSA over 10, more than half of biopsies positive.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:
Select...
I have had surgery or specific treatments for prostate cancer.
Select...
I have had radiation treatment to my pelvis or seed implant therapy in my prostate.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~10 years
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 10 years for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Compare Quality of Life between two arms as measured by EPIC questionnaire
Secondary study objectives
Quality of Life long term
Other study objectives
Efficacy: cancer free status

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group
All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Active Control
Group I: LDR boostActive Control1 Intervention
After completion of 46 Gy of external beam radiotherapy subjects will undergo a permanent seed radioactive implant to the prostate using iodine-125 seeds to deliver a dose of 110 Gy
Group II: HDR boostActive Control1 Intervention
Subjects in this arm will undergo an HDR implant to deliver 15 Gy to the prostate prior to commencing the external beam component of their treatment.

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

British Columbia Cancer AgencyLead Sponsor
175 Previous Clinical Trials
94,038 Total Patients Enrolled
21 Trials studying Prostate Cancer
4,018 Patients Enrolled for Prostate Cancer
BC Cancer FoundationOTHER
18 Previous Clinical Trials
8,369 Total Patients Enrolled
3 Trials studying Prostate Cancer
508 Patients Enrolled for Prostate Cancer
Francois Bachand, MDPrincipal InvestigatorBritish Columbia Cancer Agency
1 Previous Clinical Trials
25 Total Patients Enrolled
1 Trials studying Prostate Cancer
25 Patients Enrolled for Prostate Cancer

Media Library

HDR (Brachytherapy) Clinical Trial Eligibility Overview. Trial Name: NCT01936883 — N/A
Prostate Cancer Research Study Groups: LDR boost, HDR boost
Prostate Cancer Clinical Trial 2023: HDR Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT01936883 — N/A
HDR (Brachytherapy) 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT01936883 — N/A
~16 spots leftby Nov 2025