title: Adjuvant and Salvage Radiotherapy after Radical Prostatectomy in Prostate Cancer Patients.
abstract: Prostate cancer (PCa) patients found to have adverse pathologic features following radical prostatectomy (RP) are less likely to be cured with surgery alone.
  
  
  
  To analyze the role of postoperative radiotherapy (RT) in patients with aggressive PCa.
  
  
  
  We performed a systematic literature review of the Medline and EMBASE databases. The search strategy included the terms radical prostatectomy, adjuvant radiotherapy, and salvage radiotherapy, alone or in combination. We limited our search to studies published between January 2009 and August 2016.
  
  
  
  Three randomized trials demonstrated that immediate RT after RP reduces the risk of recurrence in patients with aggressive PCa. However, immediate postoperative RT is associated with an increased risk of acute and late side effects ranging from 15% to 35% and 2% to 8%, respectively. Retrospective studies support the oncologic efficacy of initial observation followed by salvage RT administered at the first sign of recurrence; however, the impact of this delay on long-term control remains uncertain. Hopefully, ongoing randomized trials will shed light on the role of adjuvant RT versus observation±salvage RT in individuals with adverse features at RP. Accurate patient selection based on clinical characteristics and molecular profile is crucial. Dose escalation, whole-pelvis RT, novel techniques, and the use of hormonal therapy might improve the outcomes of postoperative RT.
  
  
  
  Immediate RT reduces the risk of recurrence after RP in patients with aggressive disease. However, this approach is associated with an increase in the incidence of short- and long-term side effects. Observation followed by salvage RT administered at the first sign of recurrence might be associated with durable cancer control, but prospective randomized comparison with adjuvant RT is still awaited. Dose escalation, refinements in the technique, and the concomitant use of hormonal therapies might improve outcomes of patients undergoing postoperative RT.
  
  
  
  Postoperative radiotherapy has an impact on oncologic outcomes in patients with aggressive disease characteristics. Salvage radiotherapy administered at the first sign of recurrence might be associated with durable cancer control in selected patients but might compromise cure in others.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Urology/Department of Oncology, URI, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: giorgio.gandaglia@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gandaglia
authors.affiliation: Unit of Urology/Department of Oncology, URI, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Briganti
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The Christie and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trusts, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Noel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: R Jeffrey
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Karnes
authors.affiliation: Martini-Clinic, Prostate Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Graefen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology and Experimental Cancer Research, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ost
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony Laurence
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Zietman
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Mack
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roach
mesh_terms: D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D018579:Patient Selection; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Adjuvant radiotherapy; Prostate cancer; Radical prostatectomy; Radiotherapy; Salvage radiotherapy