PROPHYLACTIC BLADDER INSTILLATIONS WITH IALURIL (R) MAY REDUCE SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE RADIATION CYSTITIS IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING RADIOTHERAPY FOR PELVIC TUMOURS

Introduction: Acute radiation cystitis (RC) is a common anddebilitating problem in patients undergoing radiotherapy forurogenital malignancies. Acute RC symptoms include painfulmicturition, urgency, frequency, and nicturia We studied thefeasibility and efficacy of intravesical instillations with Ialuril®(sodium hyaluronate and chondroitin sulfate sterile solution)to reduce acute radiation cystitis in men and womenundergoing pelvic radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: Thesingle-arm study was performed between September 2010 andJune 2011 and included 15 patients who met the followingcriteria: primary or adjuvant radiotherapy for pelvic cancer.Exclusion criteria were: bladder cancer, LUTS, overactivebladder syndrome. Symptoms of haematuria, frequency ofvoiding and the visual analogue scale of pelvic pain (range 0-10) were evaluated before and after the treatment with followupof 6 months. During radiotherapy, all patients receivedweekly bladder instillations of 50 ml of sterile sodium HA1.6% and CS 2.0% solution (IALURIL®). Results: Areduction of degree symptoms of haematuria occurred in 13of 15 patients (p<0.001). reduction of frequency of voidingand of visual analogue scale score were significantly lowerthan baseline at the 6-months (p<0.001, p 0.002, respectively).Discussion and Conclusion: Bladder instillations with Ialuril®seems to reduce acute post-irradiation cystitis symptoms inpatients treated for pelvic malignancies. Further studies areneeded to obtain more robust evidence.