title: Survival after initiation of androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer of Australian men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine duration of use and survival rates of Australian males who initiated androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer, including survival rates stratified by the type of the initial androgen deprivation therapy and age at initiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study using Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) data. Males aged 50 and over initiating androgen deprivation therapy (2008-2010) were included in the cohort. Time to death or end of study (31 Dec 2012), duration of therapy and 1 to 5-year relative survival rates stratified by type of initial therapy and age were presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the androgen deprivation therapy initiators (n=3,611, mean age 84), 92% survived 1 year with the relative survival rate decreasing to 79% at 3 years and to 57% at 5 years. Survival outcomes stratified by the type of initial therapy showed slightly higher rates amongst those initiated on gonadotropin releasing hormone analogues or on combined androgen blockage compared to those initiated on anti-androgens. Age specific rates were similar amongst the younger groups (under 80 years old) at each single point of time and were slightly higher than in those aged 80 years and over for some points of time. Fifty percent of patients received androgen deprivation therapy for extended periods (30 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 1-year relative survival of veterans was high and similar to that of the general Australian population with prostate cancer. Factors such as tumour stage and grade (not available in the data) could explain differences in survival based on the type of the initial therapy.
authors.affiliation: Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Reid Building, Frome Road, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. Electronic address: svetla.gadzhanova@unisa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Svetla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gadzhanova
authors.affiliation: Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roughead
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001315:Australia; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Androgen deprivation therapy; Prostate cancer survival