title: [Survival of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer and monitored in primary care].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study survival of patients with prostate cancer and its relationship with diagnostic delay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six rural primary care practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients diagnosed with prostate cancer and monitored in these practices between 1992 and 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient age at definite diagnosis, dates of definite and suspected diagnosis, diagnostic method, treatment strategy, and date of death, if it occurred, were determined. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate survival probability; and Cox's regression, to examine prognostic factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 84 patients were identified. Mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 75.8 (8.6) years. Median delay until definite diagnosis was 31 days. The diagnosis was carried out through biopsy in 38 cases (45.2%). Eighteen patients were given possibly curative treatment (21.4%) and 66 patients (78.6%) received palliative treatment. Mean age of the deceased was 82.6 (9.1) years. Of 49 patients who died by the end of the study, 22 (44.9%) died from prostate cancer. Mean survival was 72.1 months (SE, 6.1). The probability of overall survival 10 years after diagnosis was 33.3%, and specific survival was 57.5%. There were no differences in survival due to delay in definite diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Survival after diagnosis of prostate cancer can be considered high. There is no relationship between survival and delay in definite diagnosis in patients with prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud Cea. Ourense. España. gdgravalos@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Gabriel J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Díaz Grávalos
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palmeiro Fernández
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Casado Górriz
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arandia García
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alvarez Araújo
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: González Dacosta
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate