title: Whole pelvis radiotherapy for pathological node-positive prostate cancer : Oncological outcome and prognostic factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this work was to investigate the oncological outcome of whole pelvis radiotherapy (wpRT) in pathologic pelvic lymph node-positive (pN1) prostate cancer (PCa), evaluate the location of relapse, and identify potential prognostic factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients undergoing pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) since the year 2000 at a single tertiary care center were evaluated. A total of 154 patients with pN1 PCa were treated with wpRT (39 in an adjuvant setting) and 2-3 years of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to estimate biochemical recurrence-free survival (bRFS), clinical progression-free survival (cPFS), and prostate cancer-specific survival (CSS). Uni- and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Estimated bRFS was 67%, cPFS was 71%, and CSS was 96% at 5 years. Median follow-up was 55 months (interquartile range 25-87). Multivariate analysis identified having only 1 positive lymph node, a shorter time between diagnosis and PLND, and older age as independent favorable prognostic factors for biochemical and clinical recurrence. The number of positive lymph nodes was prognostic for CSS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.34, 95% confidence interval 1.17-1.54) and OS (HR 1.22, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.36). Bone metastases were the most frequent location of PCa relapse (n = 32, 64%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with pN1 PCa treated with wpRT and 2-3 years ADT have an encouraging 5‑year CSS. Understaging of the disease extent may be the most important enemy in definitive pN1 PCa treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. filip.poelaert@uzgent.be.
authors.forename: Filip
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2213-6211
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Poelaert
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fonteyne
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ost
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, AZ Nikolaas, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Troyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Decaestecker
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Meerleer
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Visschere
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Claeys
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dhondt
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nicolaas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lumen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010388:Pelvis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011379:Prognosis; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists
keywords: Lymph node metastases; Prostate cancer; Radical prostatectomy; Radiotherapy; Survival analysis