Abstract
Purpose
The current standard of care for muscle-invasive bladder cancer is neoadjuvant chemotherapy
followed by radical cystectomy with lymph node dissection. Although this treatment
provides therapeutic benefit, it is associated with notable morbidity. Bladder sparing
techniques, such as concurrent chemo-radiation, are less invasive and prioritize organ
preservation in individuals with invasive bladder cancer and offer comparable disease
control. High-dose-rate brachytherapy is an emerging paradigm in the management of
muscle-invasive bladder cancer. During high-dose-rate brachytherapy, radioactive sources
are introduced to the area of the primary tumor through specialized catheters. The
specific placement of brachytherapy catheters results in heightened effectiveness
of the radiation treatment with less radiation damage to surrounding structures. For
bladder-sparing therapies such as brachytherapy to rival radical cystectomy, these
techniques need to be refined further by radiation oncologists.
Procedure
One such modality for developing and practicing these techniques is the use of cadaveric
models in innovation-focused clinical training facilities, which provide a simulated
sterile surgical environment without the concern for extending intraoperative time.
Findings and conclusions
The objective of this technical note is to demonstrate how clinical training facilities
such as the Houston Methodist Institute for Technology, Innovation & Education are
ideal for the development, testing, and training of novel brachytherapy techniques
using cadaveric models. By utilizing a network of similarly innovative training centers,
research and development of brachytherapy techniques can be expedited, and novel bladder-sparing
treatment methods can be implemented as the standard of care for bladder cancer.
Keywords
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References
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 21, 2022
Accepted:
August 28,
2022
Received in revised form:
July 26,
2022
Received:
May 5,
2022
Footnotes
Disclosures: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The authors report no proprietary or commercial interest in any product mentioned or concept discussed in this article.
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
