Trends and variation in the use of radiotherapy in non-metastatic prostate cancer: a 12-year nationwide overview from The Netherlands

Purpose: This population-based study describes nationwide trends and variation in the use of primary radiotherapy for non-metastatic prostate cancer in The Netherlands in 2008-2019.

Methods: Prostate cancer patients were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (N=103,059). Treatment trends were studied over time by prognostic risk groups. Multilevel analyses were applied to identify variables associated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and brachy-monotherapy versus no active treatment in low-risk disease, and EBRT versus radical prostatectomy in intermediate and high-risk disease.

Results: EBRT use remained stable (5-6%) in low-risk prostate cancer and increased from 21% to 32% in intermediate-risk, 37% to 45% in high-risk localized and 50% to 57% in high-risk locally advanced disease. Brachy-monotherapy decreased from 19% to 6% and from 15% to 10% in low and intermediate-risk disease, respectively, coinciding an increase of no active treatment from 55% to 73% in low-risk disease. Use of EBRT or brachy-monotherapy versus no active treatment in low-risk disease differed by region, T-stage and patient characteristics. Hospital characteristics were not associated with treatment in low-risk disease, except for availability of brachy-monotherapy in 2008-2013. Age, number of comorbidities, travel time for EBRT, prognostic risk group, and hospital characteristics were associated with EBRT versus prostatectomy in intermediate and high-risk disease.

Conclusion: Intermediate/high-risk PCa was increasingly managed with EBRT, while brachy-monotherapy in low/intermediate-risk PCa decreased. In low-risk PCa, the no active treatment-approach increased. Variation in treatment suggests treatment decision related to patient/disease characteristics. In intermediate/high-risk disease, variation seems furthermore related to the treatment modalities available in the diagnosing hospitals.