Influence of androgen deprivation therapy on the severity of COVID-19 in prostate cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: The TMPRSS2 protein has been involved in severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The production is regulated by the androgen receptor (AR). It is speculated that androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) may protect patients affected by prostate cancer (PC) from SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of patients treated for COVID-19 in our institution who had a previous diagnosis of PC. We analyzed the influence of exposure of ADT on the presence of severe course of COVID-19. RESULTS: A total of 2280 patients were treated in our center for COVID-19 with a worse course of disease in males (higher rates of hospitalization, intense care unit [ICU] admission, and death). Out of 1349 subjects registered in our PC database, 156 were on ADT and 1193 were not. Out of those, 61 (4.52%) PC patients suffered from COVID-19, 11 (18.0%) belonged to the ADT group, and 50 (82.0%) to the non-ADT group. Regarding the influence of ADT on the course of the disease, statistically significant differences were found neither in the death rate (27.3% vs. 34%; p = 0.481), nor in the presence of severe COVID-19: need for intubation or ICU admission (0% vs. 6.3%; p = 0.561) and need for corticoid treatment, interferon beta, or tocilizumab (60% vs. 34.7%; p = 0.128). Multivariate analysis adjusted for clinically relevant comorbidities did not find that ADT was a protective factor for worse clinical evolution (risk ratio [RR] 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64-1.83; p = 0.77) or death (RR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.26-1.74; p = 0.41). CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that COVID-19 is more severe in men. However, the use of ADT in patients with PC was not shown to prevent the risk of severe COVID-19.

Radioterapia adyuvante después de Prostatectomía Radical como tratamiento preventivo de la recidiva bioquímica / Adjuvant radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy as preventive treatment for biochemical

La RT adyuvante ha demostrado ser más eficaz, en aquellos pacientes con alto riesgo de recaída, que la RT de rescate cuando ya se ha producido dicha recaída. Para optimizar su empleo se debe identificar el subgrupo de pacientes con mayor riesgo de enfermedad microscópica residual tras la cirugía, ya que en estos la probabilidad de fracaso bioquímico a los 5-10 años puede llegar hasta un 60%. Existen muchos estudios al respecto en los que se identifican estos factores, que en general son: la existencia de márgenes positivos, la afectación capsular o de vesículas seminales (T3a-b). De todos ellos, parece que la presencia de márgenes positivos es el predictor más potente de recaída. En cuanto al tratamiento radioterápico a administrar existe variabilidad en la dosis administrada y el volumen a tratar. En general la dosis en la mayoría de las series es ≥ 60 Gy, llegando algunos autores hasta 70 Gy. En cuanto a la asociación o no de hormonoterapia (HT) a la radioterapia adyuvante es un tema de debate y de momento no existen resultados de estudios que demuestren un beneficio suficiente, por lo que habría que individualizar sopesando potenciales ventajas en los pacientes de alto riesgo frente a los efectos secundarios(AU)

Adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) has proven to be more effective in patients at high risk of relapse than salvage RT when this relapse occurs. To optimize its use we must identify the subset of patients at greater risk of residual microscopic disease after surgery, since in them the likelihood of 5-10 year biochemical failure can reach 60%. There are many studies on the subject in which these factors are identified, which in general are: presence of positive margins and capsular or seminal vesicle involvement (T3a-b). Of these, it seems that the presence of positive margins is the most powerful predictor of relapse. With regard to radiotherapy, there is variability in the dose to give and volume treated. In general, the dose in most series is ≥ 60 Gy, reaching some authors up to 70 Gy. As to the association or not hormone therapy (HT) and adjuvant radiotherapy, it is a subject of debate and so far no results of studies demonstrate a sufficient benefit, so it should be individualized, weighing potential benefits in high risk patients against side effects(AU)

Recommendations of the Spanish Societies of Radiation Oncology (SEOR), Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging (SEMNiM), and Medical Physics (SEFM) on (18)F-FDG PET-CT for radiotherapy treatment planning.

Positron emission tomography (PET) with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is a valuable tool for diagnosing and staging malignant lesions. The fusion of PET and computed tomography (CT) yields images that contain both metabolic and morphological information, which, taken together, have improved the diagnostic precision of PET in oncology. The main imaging modality for planning radiotherapy treatment is CT. However, PET-CT is an emerging modality for use in planning treatments because it allows for more accurate treatment volume definition. The use of PET-CT for treatment planning is highly complex, and protocols and standards for its use are still being developed. It seems probable that PET-CT will eventually replace current CT-based planning methods, but this will require a full understanding of the relevant technical aspects of PET-CT planning. The aim of the present document is to review these technical aspects and to provide recommendations for clinical use of this imaging modality in the radiotherapy planning process.