Economical impact of orchiectomy for advanced prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate the economical impact of surgical castration in comparison to the medical castration for patients with advanced prostate cancer.


METHODS
Between January 2001 and December 2001, 32 patients with advanced prostate cancer underwent bilateral sub-capsular orchiectomy at our Hospital. The costs of this procedure were compared to the costs of medical castration with LH-RH analogues.


RESULTS
The costs of the surgical procedure were extremely reduced when compared to published data on the medical treatment. Surgical castration did not have any stronger negative impact on the evolution of these patients when compared to medical castration.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical castration is an efficient and low cost treatment for advanced prostate cancer.
De Paula
Adriano A P
AA
Section of Oncological Urology, Araujo Jorge Hospital, Association Against Cancer of Goias (ACCG), Goiania, Goias, Brazil. adrianopaula@hotmail.com
Piccelli
Hilton R S
HR
Pinto
Nilson P
NP
Teles
Antonio G
AG
Franqueiro
Antonio G
AG
Maltez
Adriano R L
AR
Silva
Jose H
JH