Lymph node-positive prostate cancer: evaluation of the results of the combination of androgen deprivation therapy and radiation therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the outcome of patients with pathologic stage IV prostate cancer treated with androgen ablation plus external-beam radiation therapy.


METHODS
Sixty consecutive patients treated between August 1986 and February 1995 with androgen ablation plus radiation therapy for stage IV (T1-4 N1 M0) adenocarcinoma of the prostate were selected for outcome analysis in this retrospective study. Bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy was performed in 56 patients (93%). The 4 remaining patients had pelvic adenopathy on computed tomography, which was confirmed histologically in all patients. The median pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level was 28.8 ng/mL (mean, 55 ng/ mL; range, 0.1-428 ng/mL). All patients received radiation therapy to the prostate, and 29 (48%) had pelvic node radiation. Biochemical failure was defined according to the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology criteria of 3 successive increases in the PSA level.


RESULTS
The median follow-up duration for surviving patients was 101.1 months (range, 20-134 months). Biochemical failure with (in 2 patients) or without (in 10 patients) clinically evident disease relapse was noted in 12 patients (20%). Four additional patients (7%) had clinical relapse without biochemical failure. Local recurrences were observed in 6 patients (10%), and this clinical impression was confirmed by biopsy in 4 patients. Thirteen patients (22%) died of causes related to prostate cancer. The biochemical relapse-free, clinical disease-free, overall, and cause-specific survival rates at 5 years were 82%, 84%, 76%, and 80%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
This observational case series of patients treated with the combination of external-beam radiation therapy and permanent androgen ablation for pathologic stage IV prostate cancer suggests that the addition of androgen deprivation therapy to radiation therapy may improve disease outcome. In the absence of randomized trial results, these observations may be beneficial in clinical decision making.
Buskirk
S J
SJ
Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla 32082, USA. buskirk.steven@mayo.edu
Pisansky
T M
TM
Atkinson
E J
EJ
Schild
S E
SE
O'Brien
P C
PC
Wolfe
J T
JT
Zincke
H
H
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006801:Humans; D015993:Life Tables; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen