Prognosis of patients with T4 prostate carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The clinical course of patients with T4 prostate carcinoma was examined in order to consider whether there are alternative treatment options besides androgen ablation therapy.


METHODS
From 1986 to 1995 at Chiba University Hospital, there were 22 cases of T4 prostate carcinoma. Sixteen cases had no bone metastasis at initial diagnosis. Tumor grade and response of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) to endocrine treatment were evaluated in these 16 cases.


RESULTS
Four patients had moderately differentiated and 12 had poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. For initial treatment, all patients received endocrine therapy. Anti-androgen therapy was effective in 15 cases and the 5 year cause-specific and progression-free survival rates were 72.1 and 38.1%, respectively. Patients with moderately differentiated tumors tended to have a longer disease-free period than those with poorly differentiated tumors (P = 0.047).


CONCLUSIONS
Endocrine therapy was effective in patients with T4 tumors. It was suggested that aggressive local treatment (i.e. radiotherapy) in combination with endocrine therapy may be considered if the patients had no distant metastases and had a long life expectancy.
Furuya
Y
Y
Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan. furuyayu@med.teikyo-u.ac.jp
Akakura
K
K
Ichikawa
T
T
Ito
H
H
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen