Inter-institutional analysis demonstrates the importance of lower than previously anticipated dose regions to prevent late rectal bleeding following prostate radiotherapy

Purpose To investigate whether inter-institutional cohort analysis uncovers more reliable dose–response relationships exemplified for late rectal bleeding (LRB) following prostate radiotherapy. Material and methods Data from five institutions were used. Rectal dose–volume histograms (DVHs) for 989 patients treated with 3DCRT or IMRT to 70–86.4 [email protected]–2.0 Gy/fraction were obtained, and corrected for fractionation effects (α/β = 3 Gy)....