¹²⁵Iodine prostate implants for recurrent carcinomas after external beam irradiation: Preliminary results

Fourteen patients with locally recurrent prostate carcinomas after external beam irradiation received ¹²⁵I seed implants at Stanford between 1975 and 1979. Clinical local control has been obtained in 11 of the 14 patients for follow‐up periods of 6 to 36 months. Eight remain without evidence of disease, but 2 of the 3 patients whose pelvic lymph nodes were involved by carcinoma have developed distant metastases. Complications, consisting of either cystoproctitis, urinary incontinence, or the development of a vesicorectal fistula occurred in 4 of the 14 patients. These complications were noted only in those patients who had implantation of high intensity ¹²⁵I seeds (>0.50 mCi) into large prostatic volumes (>50 cc). No complications occurred in patients who received lower intensity ¹²⁵I seed implants in smaller prostatic volumes. We conclude that ¹²⁵I seed implants may be used in a second attempt to obtain local control after a local relapse following external beam irradiation, if the use of high intensity ¹²⁵I sources and/or the implantation of large prostate volumes are avoided.