title: Biochemical response after 3-d conformal radiotherapy of localized prostate cancer to a total dose of 66 gy 4-year results.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since the introduction of 3-D conformal radiotherapy (CRT) doses of </= 70 Gy have been used in many European countries. In this analysis, the impact of a short-term neoadjuvant hormonal treatment in combination with CRT to a moderate dose level of 66 Gy was examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 1994 to February 1999 397 patients were treated for carcinoma of the prostate. In 279 patients a definitive curative treatment (T1 = 38, T2 = 165, T3 = 50, Tx = 11) with or without androgen deprivation was performed. 164 patients with radiotherapy of the prostate +/- seminal vesicles to a total dose of 66 Gy (n = 109) alone or in combination with a short-term hormonal treatment (n = 55) were included in this analysis. Biochemical relapse was defined as three rising PSA values or reintroduction of hormonal treatment. A low-risk subgroup was defined for patients with maximum serum PSA level </= 10 and cT</=2 and G</=2, all other patients were summarized as high-risk patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up of alive patients was 40 months (12-72 months). There was a total of 29/164 deaths, two were cause-specific and 27 were considered unrelated to prostate cancer. The 4-year rates of no biochemical evidence of disease for all patients was 58%. For the high-risk group the 4-year rates could be improved with borderline significance from 35% to 66% (p = 0.057) by additional neoadjuvant hormonal treatment. In contrast for the low-risk group no significant improvement was observed: 73% and 82%, respectively (p = 0.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Especially in high-risk patients doses </= 70 Gy for radiotherapy alone seem not to be sufficient for curative treatment. Additional hormonal treatment and doses >/= 70 Gy should be considered. As a consequence of our earlier analysis a prospective multicenter treatment optimization protocol has been initiated in 1999. The protocol includes a risk-adapted dose increase from 70 Gy in low-risk patients to 74 Gy in high-risk patients including short-term androgen ablation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, University of Vienna, Austria. stefan.wachter@akh-wien.ac.at
authors.forename: Natascha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wachter-Gerstner
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wachter
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goldner
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nechvile
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pötter
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000368:Aged; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011881:Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen