title: Who benefits from hypofractionated radiation therapy for clinically localized prostate cancer: evidence from meta-analysis.
abstract: The aim of this study is to explore the oncological outcomes of hypofractionated radiotherapy for patients with prostate cancer. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library prior to April 2014 and references of relevant original papers and review articles. Unpublished data from meeting abstracts were supplemented. Studies comparing hypofractionated with conventionally fractionated radiotherapy (CFRT) on oncological outcomes of patients with clinically localized prostate cancer were included. Twelve distinct datasets involving 4,572 participants from 13 papers were eligible for this meta-analysis. The biochemical failure rate (BFR) decreases significantly in the hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT) group for approximately 30 % (11-43 %). However, no significantly lower prostate cancer-specific survival and overall survival in HFRT group were observed. In subgroup analyses, HFRT without radiation doses reduction was especially effective in controlling BFR (HR = 0.71, 95 % CI 0.53-0.95; P = 0.02). Compared to CFRT, HFRT only yield a consistent advantage on BFR in high-risk patients (HR = 0.61, 95 % CI 0.46-0.82; P = 0.001). Moreover, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) had no effect on two radiotherapies in controlling BFR. HFRT improves biochemical failure-free survival in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer. Further well-designed trial is needed to confirm our findings.
authors.forename: Libin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Institute of Urology, 23 Pingjiang Road, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Linbin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Shimiao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhiqun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yuanjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Niu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome