Experiences With HDR-brachytherapy in Norway

First article will compare overall and prostate cancer specific-mortality in patients who has received HDR-BT compared to patients who has received external beam radiation therapy only (EBRT). Patients who have been treated with HDR-BT have been enrolled in an approved registry at Oslo University Hospital since 2004. The control group (EBRT only) data are from the Lancet published hallmark study SPCG-7 (Scandinavian Prostate Cancer Group). This is a case-control study. Second article will focus on side-effects of HDR-BT compared to EBRT patients. Patients included in the registry described above have been sent (and completed with a 72% answer rate) a questionnaire of the standard Expanded Prostate Cancer Index (EPIC-26) form. This will be compared to patients who already have answered the same questionnaire in a previously published study (approved by the Norwegian Ethical Committee). The Third article will investigate if there are any association between patients reporting severe adverse effects after HDR-BT and the patients dosimetry reports (i.e are there a larger dose to the urethra or rectum in these patients?)