A biodegradable rectal balloon implant to protect the rectum during prostate cancer radiotherapy for a patient with active Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND

Radiotherapy in patients with active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is usually considered an absolute exclusion criterion for prostate cancer radiotherapy treatment.There are no reports available on the use of a biodegradable rectal balloon implantation (RBI) in patients with active IBD for prostate cancer radiotherapy.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report on a patient with high-risk prostate cancer with the comorbidity of an active IBD with pancolitis location. He was treated with neo-adjuvant hormonal therapy and high-dose external beam radiotherapy to the prostate and the seminal vesicles. Before radiotherapy treatment, a biodegradable RBI was implanted between the prostate and the anterior rectal wall to push the rectum outside of the high-dose area. This patient at high-risk for rectal toxicity was successfully irradiated to his prostate with only a grade I urinary toxicity, no acute rectal toxicity or toxicity flare of the IBD.

CONCLUSIONS

This case describes the use of a RBI implantation in patients with active IBD for prostate cancer radiotherapy. The use of a biodegradable RBI proved to be a promised solution for such patients, and have to be further investigated.