[Prostate cancer: evidence based clinical practice].
OBJECTIVE
Evidence-based medicine allows the best available external clinical evidence from systematic literature research to be graded in order to determine the strength of its recommendation. This guideline aims to assist physicians and health professionals in clinical decisions related to prostate cancer treatment, particularly in urology, clinical oncology and radiotherapy.


METHODS
The publications used as information sources were obtained from structured data search in electronic databases, such as CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials) and MEDLINE (online). Each item of this guideline derived from an original question which was distributed to the participants. Search strategies were prepared to select the studies presenting the best methodological quality, according to predefined levels of evidence.


RESULTS
All the recommendations were followed by a level of evidence (LE) and a degree of recommendation (DR). We used a formal ranking system to help the reader to judge the strength of the evidence behind the results published in support of each recommendation.


CONCLUSIONS
The existing parameters should be viewed as guidelines of conduct. The final trial on which the clinical procedure or treatment plan is most suitable for a particular patient should be done by a physician, who should discuss the available treatment options with the patient according to the diagnosis.
Reis
Leonardo Oliveira
LO
Sección de Urología Oncológica, Discipline of Urology, Universidad de Campinas-Unicamp, Campinas, SP, Brazil. reisleo@unicamp.br
Sasse
André Deeke
AD
Matheus
Wagner Eduardo
WE
Denardi
Fernandes
F
Stopiglia
Rafael Mamprim
RM
da Silva
Maurício Moreira
MM
Ferreira
Ubirajara
U
D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D018570:Risk Assessment