Guidance published on salvage high-dose brachytherapy (HDR-BT)

Health Technology Wales has published new guidance on the use of salvage high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) for localised relapse of prostate cancer after prior curative intent radiotherapy.

Currently in Wales the main treatment for when prostate cancer returns to the same area after treatment is radical prostatectomy – surgery to remove the whole prostate and some surrounding tissue.
This treatment can cause side effects such as urinary incontinence and infections.

HTW looked at the evidence that HDR-BT can be used to treat people with relapsed prostate cancer, instead of prostatectomy.

HDR-BT is a type of internal radiotherapy which uses thin tubes placed temporarily inside the prostate to deliver radiation directly to the tumour. This targets the cancer cells and reduces damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.

According to HTW’s guidance, more evidence is needed on the use of HDR-BT for local or locally advanced relapse of prostate cancer compared to salvage radical prostatectomy or salvage stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR).

HTW was unable to determine the cost effectiveness of the technology as the evidence on cost effectiveness was insufficient to enable a robust evaluation.

To read the guidance in full click here.