TY - JOUR
T1 - Postmortem radiation safety and issues pertaining to permanent prostate seed implantation in Japan
AU - Satoh, Takefumi
AU - Dokiya, Takushi
AU - Yamanaka, Hidetoshi
AU - Saito, Shiro
AU - Ishiyama, Hiromichi
AU - Itami, Jun
AU - Shibuya, Hitoshi
AU - Nakano, Takashi
AU - Shigematsu, Naoyuki
AU - Aoki, Manabu
AU - Egawa, Shin
AU - Hashimoto, Mitsuyasu
AU - Nishimura, Tetsuo
AU - Yorozu, Atsunori
N1 - Funding Information:
Financial disclosure: This study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Cancer Research from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare , Japan.
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2015 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2015/3/1
Y1 - 2015/3/1
N2 - PURPOSE: If a prostate cancer patient treated with (125)I brachytherapy dies within 12 months after the treatment, prostate removal before cremation is recommended to avoid problems related to radioactivity in the ashes, such as inhalation of airborne particulate matter by crematorium staff or nearby residents. To provide guidance for such cases, a manual prepared under the editorial supervision of several professional associations was issued in 2008 in Japan. Herein, we investigated the incidence and causes of death, and the actions taken subsequent to death, among prostate cancer patients who died within 12 months after (125)I brachytherapy over a 10-year period in Japan; and we compared the results before and after the manual was issued.METHODS AND MATERIALS: Data extracted from the Japan Radioisotope Association database for the period from September 2003 to the end of December 2013 were used.RESULTS: Of 27,976 patients who underwent (125)I brachytherapy during the specified period, 79 died within 12 months after implantation, including 3 who died in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The prostate and brachytherapy source were retrieved at autopsy from 69 of the 79 patients. Autopsy could not be performed on the other 10 patients, 2 of whom died in the earthquake. Autopsy and retrieval of the brachytherapy source were significantly more common after issuance of the manual than before (22/28 cases before; 47/49 cases after; p=0.021).CONCLUSION: In most cases of early death after (125)I brachytherapy in Japan, the brachytherapy source was retrieved.
AB - PURPOSE: If a prostate cancer patient treated with (125)I brachytherapy dies within 12 months after the treatment, prostate removal before cremation is recommended to avoid problems related to radioactivity in the ashes, such as inhalation of airborne particulate matter by crematorium staff or nearby residents. To provide guidance for such cases, a manual prepared under the editorial supervision of several professional associations was issued in 2008 in Japan. Herein, we investigated the incidence and causes of death, and the actions taken subsequent to death, among prostate cancer patients who died within 12 months after (125)I brachytherapy over a 10-year period in Japan; and we compared the results before and after the manual was issued.METHODS AND MATERIALS: Data extracted from the Japan Radioisotope Association database for the period from September 2003 to the end of December 2013 were used.RESULTS: Of 27,976 patients who underwent (125)I brachytherapy during the specified period, 79 died within 12 months after implantation, including 3 who died in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The prostate and brachytherapy source were retrieved at autopsy from 69 of the 79 patients. Autopsy could not be performed on the other 10 patients, 2 of whom died in the earthquake. Autopsy and retrieval of the brachytherapy source were significantly more common after issuance of the manual than before (22/28 cases before; 47/49 cases after; p=0.021).CONCLUSION: In most cases of early death after (125)I brachytherapy in Japan, the brachytherapy source was retrieved.
KW - Brachytherapy
KW - Cremation
KW - Prostate cancer
KW - Radiation safety
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U2 - 10.1016/j.brachy.2014.08.043
DO - 10.1016/j.brachy.2014.08.043
M3 - Review article
C2 - 25200350
AN - SCOPUS:85027951066
SN - 1538-4721
VL - 14
SP - 136
EP - 141
JO - Brachytherapy
JF - Brachytherapy
IS - 2
ER -
