title: Prognostic value of prostate-specific antigen minimum after orchidectomy in patients with stage C and D prostatic carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the significance of the minima of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels after orchidectomy in patients with advanced carcinoma of the prostate (stage C and D disease), to thereby discriminate patients who have a statistically significant difference in prognosis and thus individualize their adjuvant treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of 50 patients (mean age 75.8 years) with extracapsular prostate cancer (58% stage C, 42% stage D disease) was performed. PSA measurement and clinical assessment were continued at 3-monthly intervals until there was evidence of clinical progression. The minimum values of PSA were determined, the patients grouped at intervals of 1 ng/mL and the groups compared statistically on the basis of disease progression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum PSA levels decreased in all patients to a minimum after 3-6 months. There was a statistically significant difference in the probability of, and time to, disease progression for PSA minima at 1 ng/mL and 10 ng/mL. Of the 13 patients in group 1 (with PSA minima < 1 ng/mL), 11 stayed in remission during a mean follow-up duration of 45.9 months. Of 25 patients in group 2 (with PSA minima between 1 and 10 ng/mL) 19 developed progression after a mean remission period of 16.7 months, while all 12 patients in group 3 (with PSA minima > 10 ng/mL) progressed after a mean remission period of 12.5 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Post-orchidectomy PSA minima are an excellent prognostic factor with significant predictive value. While patients in group 1 tend to have a favourable prognosis after orchidectomy alone, group 2 and 3 patients need adjuvant treatment as early as possible. Group 3 patients, with their high probability of early progression, also form a uniform cohort for studies concerning new therapeutic modalities. If the PSA minimum was included in further examinations, the results of treatment should improve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Krankenhaus Lainz, Austria.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Riedl
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Huebner
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mossig
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ogris
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pflueger
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011379:Prognosis; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen