title: Does age matter in the selection of treatment for men with early-stage prostate cancer?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The specific aim of the current study was to compare freedom from biochemical failure, distant metastases-free survival, and overall survival in men age < or = 55 years, men ages 60 to 69 years, and men age > or = 70 years presenting with localized prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A matched pair analysis compared patients age < or = 55 years (Group 1) who were treated with 3-dimension conformal radiation without androgen deprivation to men age > or = 60 years and < 70 years (Group 2), and men age > or = 70 years (Group 3) who were treated at the Fox Chase Cancer Center between November 1989 and October 2001. The groups were matched for disease stage (T1/T2b vs. T2C/T3), Gleason grade (2-6 vs. 7-10), radiation dose (< 70 Gray [Gy] vs. > or = 70-76 Gy vs. > or = 76 Gy), and pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. Estimates of outcome were accomplished using Kaplan-Meier methodology and compared by age group using the log-rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-four men were identified according to the selection criteria. No statistically significant difference was found in the 5-year overall survival rates for Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 (94%, 95%, and 87%, respectively) or the 5-year rate of freedom from biochemical failure in Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 (82%, 76%, and 70%, respectively), or freedom from distant metastases (96%, 97%, and 98%, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Men age < or = 55 years who present with localized prostate cancer do not appear to have a worse prognosis. External beam radiation therapy appears to be a viable treatment alternative and should be offered to men age < or = 55 years who present with organ-confined prostate cancer.
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19111, USA. andre.konski@fccc.edu
authors: Andre
authors: A
authors: Konski
authors: Debra
authors: D
authors: Eisenberg
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Horwitz
authors: Alexandra
authors: A
authors: Hanlon
authors: Alan
authors: A
authors: Pollack
authors: Gerald
authors: G
authors: Hanks