title: The impact of co-morbidity on life expectancy among men with localized prostate cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated 3 indexes used to assess patient co-morbidities to determine whether they could predict mortality among men with clinically localized prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured the impact of co-morbidity classifications on all cause mortality using a parametric proportional hazards model based on a retrospective cohort analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each index tested is a highly significant predictor of mortality for patients dying of nonprostate cancer related causes after adjusting for age and Gleason score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Each co-morbidity index provides significant, independent predictive information concerning patient mortality beyond that provided by age, Gleason score and clinical stage alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, USA.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Albertsen
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Fryback
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Storer
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Kolon
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fine
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies