Radiotherapy of prostate cancer in renal transplant recipients: single-center experience

This study analyzed the long-term outcomes of localized prostate cancer in renal transplant recipients after radiotherapy treatment - mainly brachytherapy. We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of renal transplant recipients between 2003 and 2016 at a single tertiary center, and identified four patients with high serum PSA level during regular follow-up, 1-108 months after primary renal transplantation. The mean age of patients with detected high serum PSA level with 9.25µg/l median was 59.05 years. All four patients had functioning grafts. To prove prostate cancer, they underwent trans-rectal prostate biopsy, with no complications. Histological evaluation identified prostate adenocarcinoma (Gleason 6-7, stage T1-2cN0M0) in three patients. The biopsy in the fourth patient was negative and he therefore had trans-urethral prostate resection. Histological evaluation of resected prostate tissue revealed prostate adenocarcinoma (Gleason 7, 4+3). All patients began treatment with androgen deprivation therapy. Three patients were indicated for permanent prostate brachytherapy (BT) with iodine-125 (125I) seeds and the trans-urethral resection patient was referred for external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). After a mean follow-up of 49 months (range, 30-73), all patients, irrespective of type of radiotherapy, were in complete clinical and biochemical remission, with undetectable PSA levels. The kidney grafts remained functional, with a mean creatinine level of 99 µmol/l (range 64-123) and a glomerular filtration rate of 1.17 ml/s/1.73 m2 (range, 0.89-1.59). Radiation-induced late adverse effects were reported in two BT patients; one had clinically significant urine incontinency and the other suffered urethral stricture. Localized prostate tumor was identified in all reported patients, and all received radiotherapy plus androgen deprivation. All patients were disease-free at the time of the last follow-up. Therefore, combined BT and twelve months androgen deprivation appears both safe and effective for patients with prostate cancer after kidney transplantation.