Prostate cancer-specific survival following salvage radiotherapy vs observation in men with biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy

Postprostatectomy radiation therapy: an evidence-based review

While the majority of men with localized prostate cancer who undergo a radical prostatectomy will remain disease free, men with certain clinical and pathological features are known to be at an increased risk for developing a biochemical recurrence and, ultimately, distant metastatic disease. The optimal management of these patients continues to be a source of controversy. To date, three randomized Phase III trials have demonstrated that adjuvant radiation therapy (ART) for patients with certain adverse pathological features results in an improvement in several clinically-relevant end points, including biochemical recurrence-free survival and overall survival. Despite the evidence from these trials showing a benefit for ART, many believe that ART results in overtreatment and unwarranted treatment morbidity for a significant number of patients. Many physicians, therefore, instead advocate for close observation followed by early salvage radiation therapy (SRT) at the time of a biochemical recurrence. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the evidence for and to distinguish between ART and early SRT. We will also highlight current and future areas of research for this patient population, including radiation treatment dose escalation, hypofractionation and androgen deprivation therapy. We will also discuss the cost–effectiveness of ART and early SRT.

Impact of pathological tumor stage for salvage radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy in patients with prostate-specific antigen < 1.0 ng/ml

BACKGROUND

To evaluate prognostic factors in salvage radiotherapy (RT) for patients with pre-RT prostate-specific antigen (PSA) < 1.0 ng/ml.

METHODS

Between January 2000 and December 2009, 102 patients underwent salvage RT for biochemical failure after radical prostatectomy (RP). Re-failure of PSA after salvage RT was defined as a serum PSA value of 0.2 ng/ml or more above the postradiotherapy nadir followed by another higher value, a continued rise in serum PSA despite salvage RT, or initiation of systemic therapy after completion of salvage RT. Biochemical relapse-free survival (bRFS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model.

RESULTS

The median follow-up period was 44 months (range, 11-103 months). Forty-three patients experienced PSA re-failure after salvage RT. The 4-year bRFS was 50.9% (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 39.4-62.5%). In the log-rank test, pT3-4 (p < 0.001) and preoperative PSA (p = 0.037) were selected as significant factors. In multivariate analysis, only pT3-4 was a prognostic factor (hazard ratio: 3.512 [95% CI: 1.535-8.037], p = 0.001). The 4-year bRFS rates for pT1-2 and pT3-4 were 79.2% (95% CI: 66.0-92.3%) and 31.7% (95% CI: 17.0-46.4%), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients who have received salvage RT after RP with PSA < 1.0 ng/ml, pT stage and preoperative PSA were prognostic factors of bRFS. In particular, pT3-4 had a high risk for biochemical recurrence after salvage RT.

[EAU guidelines on prostate cancer. Part II: treatment of advanced, relapsing, and castration-resistant prostate cancer]

OBJECTIVES

Our aim is to present a summary of the 2010 version of the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines on the treatment of advanced, relapsing, and castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

METHODS

The working panel performed a literature review of the new data emerging from 2007 to 2010. The guidelines were updated, and the levels of evidence (LEs) and/or grades of recommendation (GR) were added to the text based on a systematic review of the literature, which included a search of online databases and bibliographic reviews.

RESULTS

Luteinising hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists are the standard of care in metastatic prostate cancer (PCa). Although LHRH antagonists decrease testosterone without any testosterone surge, their clinical benefit remains to be determined. Complete androgen blockade has a small survival benefit of about 5%. Intermittent androgen deprivation (IAD) results in equivalent oncologic efficacy when compared with continuous androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) in well-selected populations. In locally advanced and metastatic PCa, early ADT does not result in a significant survival advantage when compared with delayed ADT. Relapse after local therapy is defined by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values > 0.2 ng/ml following radical prostatectomy (RP) and > 2 ng/ml above the nadir after radiation therapy (RT). Therapy for PSA relapse after RP includes salvage RT at PSA levels < 0.5 ng/ml and salvage RP or cryosurgical ablation of the prostate in radiation failures. Endorectal magnetic resonance imaging and 11C-choline positron emission tomography/computed tomography (CT) are of limited importance if the PSA is < 2.5 ng/ml; bone scans and CT can be omitted unless PSA is >20 ng/ml. Follow-up after ADT should include screening for the metabolic syndrome and an analysis of PSA and testosterone levels. Treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) includes second-line hormonal therapy, novel agents, and chemotherapy with docetaxel at 75 mg/m(2) every 3 wk. Cabazitaxel as a second-line therapy for relapse after docetaxel might become a future option. Zoledronic acid and denusomab can be used in men with CRPC and osseous metastases to prevent skeletal-related complications.

CONCLUSION

The knowledge in the field of advanced, metastatic, and CRPC is rapidly changing. These EAU guidelines on PCa summarise the most recent findings and put them into clinical practice. A full version is available at the EAU office or online at www.uroweb.org.

3.0T MR-guided laser ablation of a prostate cancer recurrence in the postsurgical prostate bed

Biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer after definitive therapy with radical prostatectomy occurs in 25%-30% of cases. The first known case of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-guided ablation using laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) for locally recurrent prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy is presented. Using 3.0T MR guidance, two laser applicators were placed via a transperineal approach. Laser ablation was performed using MR thermometry to determine the ablation endpoint and lesion coverage. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging after the procedure showed no definitive abnormal enhancement. The patient had no change in continence or potency after the procedure.

Fifth-generation digital immunoassay for prostate-specific antigen by single molecule array technology

BACKGROUND

Measurement of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in prostate cancer patients following radical prostatectomy (RP) has been hindered by the limit of quantification of available assays. Because radical prostatectomy removes the tissue responsible for PSA production, postsurgical PSA is typically undetectable with current assay methods. Evidence suggests, however, that more sensitive determination of PSA status following RP could improve assessment of patient prognosis and response to treatment and better target secondary therapy for those who may benefit most. We developed an investigational digital immunoassay with a limit of quantification 2 logs lower than current ultrasensitive third-generation PSA assays.

METHODS

We developed reagents for a bead-based ELISA for use with high-density arrays of femtoliter-volume wells. Anti-PSA capture beads with immunocomplexes and associated enzyme labels were singulated within the wells of the arrays and interrogated for the presence of enzymatic product. We characterized analytical performance, compared its accuracy with a commercially available test, and analyzed longitudinal serum samples from a pilot study of 33 RP patients.

RESULTS

The assay exhibited a functional sensitivity (20% interassay CV) <0.05 pg/mL, total imprecision <10% from 1 to 50 pg/mL, and excellent agreement with the comparator method. All RP samples were well within the assay measurement capability. PSA concentrations following surgery were found to be predictive of prostate cancer recurrence risk over 5 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The robust 2-log improvement in limit of quantification relative to current ultrasensitive assays and the validated analytical performance of the assay allow for accurate assessment of PSA status after RP.

[Tumour recurrence]

In Chap. 6 the German S3 guideline on prostate cancer addresses the issue of tumour recurrence following primary local treatment with curative intent, i.e. after radical prostatectomy or a form of radiotherapy. PSA recurrence after radical surgery is defined as a rising PSA of 0.2 ng/ml and after radiotherapy as an increase of at least 2 ng/ml above the individual nadir. Factors for the clinical judgement that a local recurrence is likely are empirical indicators from the primary tumour diagnosis and the PSA course after primary treatment. Salvage external beam radiotherapy after radical surgery does not require the histological proof of a local recurrence and should be initiated early (PSA < 0.5 ng/ml). Before salvage radical prostatectomy, which carries a higher complication rate, the presence of a local recurrence should be histologically verified.

Clinical evaluation of a novel method for the measurement of prostate-specific antigen, AccuPSA(TM) , as a predictor of 5-year biochemical recurrence-free survival after radical prostatectomy: results of a pilot study

Study Type - Diagnostic (validating cohort) Level of Evidence 1b What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Nadir Ultrasensitive PSA levels has some value for predicting BCR following RD. AccuPSA assays lower limit of PSA quantification of <0.01 pg/ml greatly enhances sensitivity and specificity of nadir PSA to predict BCR following RP. Our pilot study shows an AccuPSA of 3 pg/ml has a sensitory and specificity of 100% and 75% respectively for predicting 5 year BCR following RP. OBJECTIVES • To conduct a proof of concept study to evaluate a novel digital single molecule immunoassay (AccuPSA(TM) ) that detects prostate-specific antigen (PSA) a thousandfold more sensitively than current PSA detection methods. • To determine the ability of the AccuPSA(TM) assay to predict 5-year biochemical recurrence (BCR)-free survival after radical prostatectomy (RP). PATIENTS AND METHODS • A total of 31 frozen serum specimens were obtained from specimen logs maintained at New York University Langone Medical Center and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine on men who had undergone RP. Those men without evidence of BCR had a minimum of 5 years' PSA follow-up. • In all cases, preoperative and pathological information were available, as was a serum specimen 3-6 months after RP, with a PSA level of <0.1 ng/mL measured by conventional PSA methods at the time of serum collection. • Specimens were tested using the AccuPSA(TM) method. • A Cox proportional hazard model and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to determine whether AccuPSA(TM) predicted the risk of BCR. RESULTS • Overall, 11/31 (35.5%) men developed BCR. • Mean AccuPSA(TM) nadir levels were significantly different (P < 0.001) between the non-BCR group (2.27 pg/mL) and the BCR group (46.99 pg/mL). • Using a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model, AccuPSA(TM) nadir level was a significant predictor of BCR-free survival (P < 0.01). • Kaplan-Meier analysis of up to 5 years follow-up showed that 100% of men with AccuPSA(TM) nadir values <3 pg/mL did not develop BCR, whereas 62.5% of men with values >3 pg/mL developed BCR (P= 0.00024). • The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the AccuPSA(TM) method was 100%, 75%, 69% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS • AccuPSA(TM) assay predicts 5-year BCR- free survival after RP. • Identifying a reliable predictor of BCR soon after RP has important implications for frequency of PSA testing, selection of candidates for adjuvant therapy, and reassuring a large subset of men that they are not at risk of recurrence. • Larger studies are needed to validate these findings.

Image-guided radiotherapy using surgical clips as fiducial markers after prostatectomy: a report of total setup error, required PTV expansion, and dosimetric implications

PURPOSE

To determine the total setup error and the required planning target volume (PTV) margin for prostate bed without image guided radiotherapy (IGRT), and to demonstrate the feasibility and dosimetric benefit of IGRT post prostatectomy using surgical clips.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Seventeen patients were treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) to the prostate bed with a 1cm PTV margin. Three-dimensional shifts of the surgical clips inside the prostate bed were measured with respect to the isocenter from 364 orthogonal kV image pairs, and the total setup error was calculated to determine the required PTV margin. Alternative IMRT plans using 5mm or 1cm PTV expansion were generated and compared for rectal and bladder sparing.

RESULTS

Surgical clips were reproducibly and reliably identified. The mean (standard deviation) shifts in the left-right (LR), superior-inferior (SI), and anterior-posterior (AP), axes were: -0.1 mm (1.7 mm), 0.6 mm (2.4 mm), and -2.1 mm (2.6 mm), respectively. The required PTV margins were calculated to be 6, 8, and 9 mm in the LR, AP, and SI axis, respectively. A PTV expansion of 5mm, compared to 1cm, significantly reduced V65 Gy to the rectum by 10%.

CONCLUSIONS

In the absence of IGRT, a non-uniform PTV margin of 6mm LR, 8mm AP, and 9 mm SI should be considered. Use of clips as fiducial markers can decrease the total setup error, enable a smaller PTV margin, and improve rectal sparing.

Ionizing radiation induces neuroendocrine differentiation of prostate cancer cells in vitro, in vivo and in prostate cancer patients

Prostate cancer remains the most common noncutaneous cancer among American men. Although most patients can be cured by surgery and radiotherapy, 32,050 patients still died of the disease in 2010. Many patients receive radiotherapy either as a primary therapy, salvage therapy, or in combination with surgery or hormonal therapy. Despite initial treatment, several studies suggest that approximately 10% of low-risk prostate cancer patients and up to 30-60% with more advanced cancer patients experience biochemical recurrence within five years after radiotherapy. Thus, elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying radioresistance and tumor recurrence has the potential to significantly reduce prostate cancer mortality. We previously demonstrated that fractionated ionizing radiation (IR) can induce the prostate cancer cell line LNCaP to undergo neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) by activation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and cytoplasmic sequestration of ATF2, two CRE-binding transcription factors that oppose each other to regulate NED. Importantly, IR-induced NED is reversible and de-differentiated cells are cross-resistant to IR, androgen depletion and docetaxel treatments. These findings suggest that radiation-induced NED may allow prostate cancer cells to survive treatment and contribute to tumor recurrence. In the present study, we further demonstrated that IR also induces NED in a subset of DU-145 and PC-3 cells. In addition, we confirmed that IR induces NED in LNCaP xenograft tumors in nude mice, and observed that the plasma chro-mogranin A (CgA) level, a biomarker for NED, is increased by 2- to 5-fold in tumor-bearing mice after fractionated radiation doses of 20 and 40 Gy, respectively. Consistent with these in vivo findings, a pilot study in prostate cancer patients showed that the serum CgA level is elevated in 4 out of 9 patients after radiotherapy. Taken together, these findings provide evidence that radiation-induced NED is a general therapeutic response in a subset of prostate cancer patients. Thus, a large scale analysis of radiotherapy-induced NED in prostate cancer patients and its correlation to clinical outcomes will likely provide new insight into the role of NED in prostate cancer radiotherapy and prognosis.

True local recurrences do not metastasize

Generally, the limits of local tumor control are in part connected with the term "field cancerization" and are known from oral, lung, prostate, or mammary cancer. With the example of breast cancer (BC), the problem of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences (IBTR) after breast-conserving surgery will be reviewed. Three types of local recurrences are distinguished: true recurrences, new primaries, or residual tumors. Good data for BC allow the description of the time-dependent risk of these three types, relative to the diagnosis of the primary tumor, because the time of initiation and the growth duration of the IBTR can be estimated. Two hypotheses explain the data: first, local recurrences may be initiated years before the diagnosis of a primary tumor (PT) and can then appear as multifocal PT at diagnosis, and second, true local recurrences probably do not metastasize. The generalizability of these hypotheses for other tumors will be discussed.

Contemporary role of radiation therapy in the adjuvant or salvage setting following radical prostatectomy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy have an established role in the management of high-risk patients. We discuss contemporary data on optimal timing and doses of radiotherapy, role of hormonal therapy and pelvis irradiation, and toxicity.

RECENT FINDINGS

Positive surgical margins are not predictive of reduced overall survival, even in patients treated with adjuvant radiotherapy. Salvage irradiation fails to decrease the risk of death. In both adjuvant and salvage settings, radiation doses more than 66-70 Gy result in a significant improvement of biochemical relapse-free survival, whereas hormonal therapy is still of unproven effect. Early referral for salvage radiotherapy might be as effective as adjuvant irradiation, although only less than 50% of patients whose prostate-specific antigen is more than 0.5 ng/ml at referral benefit from salvage radiotherapy. The prophylactic irradiation of pelvic nodal area may have a role in postprostatectomy irradiation owing to the risk of occult lymph-nodal metastases. New radiotherapy techniques lead to a significant reduction in rectal, but not urinary, toxicity.

SUMMARY

Ongoing Phase III trials will address the role of hormonal therapy and pelvic irradiation in combination with standard dose adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy. In the case of positive results, these findings should be confirmed also in combination with high radiation doses.

The natural history of metastatic progression in men with prostate-specific antigen recurrence after radical prostatectomy: long-term follow-up

OBJECTIVE

To describe metastasis-free survival (MFS) in men with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence following radical prostatectomy, and to define clinical prognostic factors modifying metastatic risk.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 450 men treated with prostatectomy at a tertiary hospital between July 1981 and July 2010 who developed PSA recurrence (≥0.2 ng/mL) and never received adjuvant or salvage therapy before the development of metastatic disease. We estimated MFS using the Kaplan-Meier method, and investigated factors influencing the risk of metastasis using Cox proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS

Median follow-up after prostatectomy was 8.0 years, and after biochemical recurrence was 4.0 years. At last follow-up, 134 of 450 patients (29.8%) had developed metastases, while median MFS was 10.0 years. Using multivariable regressions, two variables emerged as independently predictive of MFS: PSA doubling time (<3.0 vs 3.0-8.9 vs 9.0-14.9 vs ≥15.0 months) and Gleason score (≤6 vs 7 vs 8-10). Using these stratifications of Gleason score and PSA doubling time, tables were constructed to predict median, 5- and 10-year MFS after PSA recurrence. In different patient subsets, median MFS ranged from 1 to 15 years.

CONCLUSIONS

In men undergoing prostatectomy, MFS after PSA recurrence is variable and is most strongly influenced by PSA doubling time and Gleason score. These parameters serve to stratify men into different risk groups with respect to metastatic progression. Our findings may provide the background for appropriate selection of patients, treatments and endpoints for clinical trials.

Primary care perspectives on prostate cancer survivorship: implications for improving quality of care

OBJECTIVES

Primary care providers often care for men with prostate cancer due to its prolonged clinical course and an increasing number of survivors. However, their attitudes and care patterns are inadequately studied. In this context, we surveyed primary care providers regarding the scope of their prostate cancer survivorship care.

METHODS

The 2006 Early Detection and Screening for Prostate Cancer Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice Survey conducted by the Michigan Public Health Institute investigated the beliefs and practice patterns of primary care providers in Michigan. We evaluated responses from 902 primary care providers regarding the timing and content of their prostate cancer survivorship care and relationships with specialty care.

RESULTS

Two-thirds (67.6%) of providers cared for men during and after prostate cancer treatment. Providers routinely inquired about incontinence, impotence and bowel problems (83.3%), with a few (14.2%) using surveys to measure symptoms. However, only a minority felt 'very comfortable' managing the side effects of prostate cancer treatment. Clear plans (76.1%) and details regarding management of treatment complications (65.2%) from treating specialists were suboptimal. Nearly one-half (45.1%) of providers felt it was equally appropriate for them and treating specialists to provide prostate cancer survivorship care.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary care providers reported that prostate cancer survivorship care is prevalent in their practice, yet few felt very comfortable managing side effects of prostate cancer treatment. To improve quality of care, implementing prostate cancer survivorship care plans across specialties, or transferring primary responsibility to primary care providers through survivorship guidelines, should be considered.

Projecting the clinical benefits of adjuvant radiotherapy versus observation and selective salvage radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy: a decision analysis

Our purpose was to project and compare clinical and quality-adjusted life year (QALY) outcomes of adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) versus salvage RT (SRT) after radical prostatectomy for men with locally advanced prostate cancer. We constructed a Markov model to simulate the randomized studies of observation versus ART, assuming 75% of observation patients would receive SRT at PSA recurrence. Transition probabilities and utility inputs were drawn from randomized trials of ART and cohort studies of SRT. We projected 10-year PSA recurrence-free survival, metastasis-free survival and overall survival. We found that observation with selective SRT yielded slightly worse outcomes than ART for post-RT PSA recurrence-free survival (47 and 52%), metastasis-free survival (69 and 70%) and overall survival (72 and 73%). Findings were robust to sensitivity analyses. After adjusting for the disutility of RT, observation plus SRT yielded better QALYs at 10 years than ART (6.80 and 6.13 QALYs). Thus, observation plus SRT may be optimal for men likely to comply with surveillance who wish to minimize side effects of the treatment. These findings reflect outcomes for the average patient given the current level of evidence and are meant to help inform current decision-making as we await future clinical studies of comparative effectiveness.

Radiation therapy for prostate cancer after prostatectomy: adjuvant or salvage?

Approximately 15-25% of men who undergo radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer will experience a PSA-defined biochemical recurrence (BCR) of their cancer--men with poorly differentiated cancer, non-organ-confined disease, and positive surgical margins are at the highest risk. Accumulating evidence indicates that postoperative radiation therapy to the prostate bed favorably influences the course of disease in men with pathological features of poor prognosis. Three phase III randomized trials of adjuvant radiotherapy versus observation have reported improved freedom from BCR, and one study has reported improved metastasis-free survival and overall survival. Similar evidence from randomized trials for salvage radiotherapy is lacking; however, several observational studies have reported durable responses to salvage radiotherapy and reduced cancer-specific mortality in a substantial proportion of high-risk patients, provided that it is administered at the earliest evidence of BCR. The appeal of salvage radiotherapy is that a substantial proportion of patients with non-organ-confined cancer or positive surgical margins are cured after radical prostatectomy alone, thereby limiting the adverse effects of postoperative radiotherapy--which include urinary and bowel dysfunction, sexual dysfunction and secondary pelvic malignancies--to only those whose cancer was not cured by surgery. In the absence of data from randomized trials demonstrating the superiority of adjuvant radiotherapy over a surveillance strategy (with planned salvage radiotherapy at the earliest evidence of BCR), we advocate shared decision making between physicians and patients, based on the relative advantages and disadvantages of each approach.

What is the possible role of PSA doubling time (PSADT) and PSA velocity (PSAV) in the decision-making process to initiate salvage radiotherapy following radical prostatectomy in patients with prostate cancer?

This article is an attempt to present a contemporary view on the role of the kinetics of PSA levels as defined by PSA doubling time (PSADT) and PSA velocity (PSAV) in the decision-making process to initiate salvage radiotherapy in patients with prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy (RP).

The dynamics of the rise of PSA levels may be an early endpoint parameter, preceding the diagnosis of distant metastasis or death due to prostate cancer based on a single PSA determination. Thus, it seems reasonable to include the kinetics of PSA levels, apart from single PSA determination, in the decision-making algorithm.

In a group of patients after RP, PSADT might be an early endpoint that could replace cause-specific survival rate as a late endpoint. PSADT allows distinguishing subgroups of patients at high risk of distant metastases and death, which in turn may lead to a change in the further treatment strategy. Therefore, patients with short PSA doubling time should become a subgroup, in which hormonal therapy should be considered. To date, there is no unanimous consent to accept the criteria of assessment of the dynamics of PSA levels as determinants of treatment in case of recurrences following RP. However, a number of non-randomized clinical trials in patients after RP suggest it would be useful to include these parameters in the decision-making process. For instance, a relationship was found between increased PSA velocity (>2 ng/mL/year) before initiation of oncological treatment and increased (12-fold) risk of death. A number of well-documented retrospective analyses show that PSADT is one of the most important parameters to describe the disease aggressiveness. It has to be stressed that single determination of PSA levels is much less precise in terms of describing the biological aggressiveness of prostate cancer than PSADT. Of course, the question regarding the need to include the PSA levels kinetic parameters as crucial elements of patient management algorithms can be answered in a definitive manner only by randomized clinical trials.

Influence of (11)C-choline PET/CT on the treatment planning for salvage radiation therapy in patients with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The present study evaluates the incidence of (11)C-choline PET/CT positive findings in patients with recurrent prostate cancer referred for salvage radiotherapy (SRT) and the influence on the definition of the planning target volume (PTV).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Thirty-seven patients treated with radical prostatectomy and referred to SRT to the prostatic fossa because of biochemical relapse, were analysed retrospectively. All patients underwent (11)C-choline PET/CT before radiotherapy. The influence of PET/CT on the extent of the PTV was analysed. The median total follow up after SRT was 51.2 months.

RESULTS

11/37 (30%) patients had a positive finding in the (11)C-choline PET/CT, 5 (13%) outside of the prostatic fossa (iliac lymph nodes), implicating an extension of the PTV. Patients with positive (11)C-choline PET/CT had a significant higher PSA value than patients with no pathologic uptake (p=0.03). Overall, at the end of follow up 56% of the patients had a PSA ≤ 0.2ng/ml and 44% had a biochemical relapse of prostate cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

(11)C-choline PET/CT detects abnormalities outside of the prostatic fossa in 13% of patients referred for SRT because of biochemical relapse after radical prostatectomy, affecting the extent of the PTV. Prospective studies need to be implemented to evaluate the benefit of SRT with a PTV based on (11)C-choline PET/CT.

Physician beliefs and practices for adjuvant and salvage radiation therapy after prostatectomy

PURPOSE

Despite results of randomized trials that support adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) after radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer with adverse pathologic features (APF), many clinicians favor selective use of salvage RT. This survey was conducted to evaluate the beliefs and practices of radiation oncologists (RO) and urologists (U) regarding RT after RP.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

We designed a Web-based survey of post-RP RT beliefs and policies. Survey invitations were e-mailed to a list of 926 RO and 591 U. APF were defined as extracapsular extension, seminal vesicle invasion, or positive surgical margin. Differences between U and RO in adjuvant RT recommendations were evaluated by comparative statistics. Multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate factors predictive of adjuvant RT recommendation.

RESULTS

Analyzable surveys were completed by 218 RO and 92 U (overallresponse rate, 20%). Adjuvant RT was recommended based on APF by 68% of respondents (78% RO, 44% U, p <0.001). U were less likely than RO to agree that adjuvant RT improves survival and/or biochemical control (p < 0.0001). PSA thresholds for salvage RT were higher among U than RO (p < 0.001). Predicted rates of erectile dysfunction due to RT were higher among U than RO (p <0.001). On multivariate analysis, respondent specialty was the only predictor of adjuvant RT recommendations.

CONCLUSIONS

U are less likely than RO to recommend adjuvant RT. Future research efforts should focus on defining the toxicities of post-RP RT and on identifying the subgroups of patients who will benefit from adjuvant vs. selective salvage RT.

[Value of positive resection margins in patients with pT2 prostate cancer. Implications for adjuvant treatment]

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the impact on the recurrence-free biochemical survival of tumour involvement of surgical resection margins in patients with localized prostate cancer (pT2) in the prostatectomy specimen and its implications for adjuvant treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

Retrospective study of 536 patients with stage pT2 prostate cancer, treated with radical prostatectomy between 1996 and 2007. Subsequent to the prostatectomy, the following variables were collected: Gleason score, pathological stage, capsular invasion, surgical margins and perineural invasion. We performed a univariate analysis and subsequently adjusted it by means of a Cox proportional hazard model (enter method).

RESULTS

21.7% presented positive surgical margins and 20.9% developed biochemical recurrence after a mean follow-up of 57 months. 37.9% of the patients with pathological involvement of the resection surgical margins presented biochemical recurrence against 16% that did not have it (p<0.001). In the multivariate analysis, only the surgical margin (p<0.001) and the Gleason score greater or equal to 8 (p<0.001) behaved as independent biochemical recurrence factors. On stratifying the series according to these two variables, we found that the patients with positive surgical margins and a Gleason score of ≤ 7 have a recurrence probability at 5 and 10 years of 35% and 50% against 74% and 87% in the group with positive surgical margins and a Gleason score of ≥ 8 (p=0.002).

CONCLUSION

Patients with pT2 prostate cancer, positive surgical margins and a Gleason score of ≥ 8 will benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy. 50% of the patients with positive margins and a Gleason score of ≤ 7 will not recur, which means that the indication of adjuvant radiotherapy continues to be controversial.

High-dose salvage intensity-modulated radiotherapy with or without androgen deprivation after radical prostatectomy for rising or persisting prostate-specific antigen: 5-year results

BACKGROUND

Long-term results with salvage radiotherapy (SRT) for a biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP) are poor. It has been suggested that radiotherapy doses >70 Gy might result in improved outcome.

OBJECTIVE

To report on the late toxicity profile and outcome of patients treated with high-dose salvage intensity-modulated radiotherapy (HD-SIMRT) with or without androgen deprivation (AD).

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Between 1999 and 2008, 136 patients were referred for HD-SIMRT with or without AD. The median follow-up was 5 yr. Indications for HD-SIMRT were persisting prostate-specific antigen (PSA) or a rising PSA following RP. All patients were irradiated at a single, tertiary, academic centre. AD was initiated on the basis of seminal vesicle invasion, preprostatectomy PSA >20 ng/ml, Gleason score ≥ 4+3 (n=43), or personal preference of the referring urologist (n=54).

INTERVENTION

A median 76-Gy dose was prescribed to the RP bed using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in all patients. AD consisted of a luteinising hormone-releasing hormone analogue for 6 mo.

MEASUREMENTS

Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine the influence of patient- and treatment-related factors on late toxicity, biochemical relapse-free survival (bRFS), and clinical relapse-free survival (cRFS).

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

The 5-yr actuarial bRFS and cRFS were 56% and 86%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, the presence of perineural invasion at RP (hazard ratio [HR]: 6.19, p=0.001) and an increasing pre-SRT PSA (PSA 0.5 ng/ml: HR: 1; PSA 1-1.5 ng/ml: HR: 1.60, p=0.30; and PSA >1 ng/ml: HR: 2.70, p=0.02) were independent factors for a decreased bRFS. The addition of AD improved bRFS (HR: 0.33, p=0.005). On multivariate analysis, none of the variables was a predictor of cRFS. The 5-yr risk of grade 2-3 toxicity was 22% and 8% for genitourinary and gastrointestinal symptoms, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

IMRT allows for safe dose escalation to 76Gy with good bRFS.

Detection of recurrent prostate carcinoma with anti-1-amino-3-18F-fluorocyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid PET/CT and 111In-capromab pendetide SPECT/CT

PURPOSE

To compare the diagnostic performance of the synthetic amino acid analog radiotracer anti-1-amino-3-fluorine 18-fluorocyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid (anti-3-(18)F-FACBC) with that of indium 111 ((111)In)-capromab pendetide in the detection of recurrent prostate carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective study was approved by the institutional review board and complied with HIPAA guidelines. Written informed consent was obtained. Fifty patients (mean age, 68.3 years ± 8.1 [standard deviation]; age range, 50-90 years) were included in the study on the basis of the following criteria: (a) Recurrence of prostate carcinoma was suspected after definitive therapy for localized disease, (b) bone scans were negative, and (c) anti-3-(18)F-FACBC positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and (111)In-capromab pendetide single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT were performed within 6 weeks of each other. Studies were evaluated by two experienced interpreters for abnormal uptake suspicious for recurrent disease in the prostate bed and extraprostatic locations. The reference standard was a combination of tissue correlation, imaging, laboratory, and clinical data. Diagnostic performance measures were calculated and tests of the statistical significance of differences determined by using the McNemar χ(2) test as well as approximate tests based on the difference between two proportions.

RESULTS

For disease detection in the prostate bed, anti-3-(18)F-FACBC had a sensitivity of 89% (32 of 36 patients; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 74%, 97%), specificity of 67% (eight of 12 patients; 95% CI: 35%, 90%), and accuracy of 83% (40 of 48 patients; 95% CI: 70%, 93%). (111)In-capromab pendetide had a sensitivity of 69% (25 of 36 patients; 95% CI: 52%, 84%), specificity of 58% (seven of 12 patients; 95% CI: 28%, 85%), and accuracy of 67% (32 of 48 patients; 95% CI: 52%, 80%). In the detection of extraprostatic recurrence, anti-3-(18)F-FACBC had a sensitivity of 100% (10 of 10 patients; 95% CI: 69%, 100%), specificity of 100% (seven of seven patients; 95% CI: 59%, 100%), and accuracy of 100% (17 of 17 patients; 95% CI: 80%, 100%). (111)In-capromab pendetide had a sensitivity of 10% (one of 10 patients; 95% CI: 0%, 45%), specificity of 100% (seven of seven patients; 95% CI: 59%, 100%), and accuracy of 47% (eight of 17 patients; 95% CI: 23%, 72%).

CONCLUSION

anti-3-(18)F-FACBC PET/CT was more sensitive than (111)In-capromab pendetide SPECT/CT in the detection of recurrent prostate carcinoma and is highly accurate in the differentiation of prostatic from extraprostatic disease.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

http://radiology.rsna.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1148/radiol.11102023/-/DC1.

Treatment of men with rising prostate-specific antigen levels following radical prostatectomy

Approximately one-third of patients who undergo radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer will develop a detectable prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level within 10 years. Biochemical recurrence of disease is defined as a rising PSA level in the absence of clinical or radiographic evidence of disease. Management of PSA recurrence is controversial, as prostate cancer may take an indolent course, or it may aggressively develop into metastatic disease. The only potentially curative treatment for biochemical failure after prostatectomy is salvage radiotherapy. Noncurative treatment options include hormone therapy or clinical trials of a novel systemic agent. This article will address management options for a rising PSA level after prostatectomy, as well as ongoing studies exploring molecular biomarkers as prognostic tumor markers and potential targets for prostate cancer therapy.

A contemporary analysis of outcomes of adenocarcinoma of the prostate with seminal vesicle invasion (pT3b) after radical prostatectomy

PURPOSE

Despite earlier detection and stage migration, seminal vesicle invasion is still reported in the prostate specific antigen era and remains a poor prognostic indicator. We investigated outcomes in men with pT3b disease in the contemporary era.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The institutional radical prostatectomy database (1982 to 2010) of 18,505 men was queried and 989 with pT3b tumors were identified. The cohort was split into pre-prostate specific antigen (1982 to 1992), and early (1993 to 2000) and contemporary (2001 to present) prostate specific antigen eras. Of the 732 men identified in the prostate specific antigen era 140 had lymph node involvement and were excluded from study. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine biochemical recurrence-free, metastasis-free and prostate cancer specific survival. Proportional hazard models were used to determine predictors of biochemical recurrence-free, metastasis-free and cancer specific survival.

RESULTS

In the pre-prostate specific antigen, and early and contemporary prostate specific antigen eras, 7.7%, 4.3% and 3.3% of patients, respectively, had pT3bN0 disease (p >0.001). In pT3bN0 cases, the 10-year biochemical recurrence-free survival rate was 25.8%, 28.6% and 19.6% (p = 0.8), and the cancer specific survival rate was 79.9%, 79.6% and 83.8% (p = 0.6) among the eras, respectively. In pT3bN0 cases in the prostate specific antigen era, prostate specific antigen, clinical stage T2b or greater, pathological Gleason sum 7 and 8-10, and positive surgical margins were significant predictors of biochemical recurrence-free survival on multivariate analysis while clinical stage T2c or greater and Gleason 8-10 were predictors of metastasis-free and cancer specific survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a decreased frequency of pT3b disease, and lower rates of positive surgical margins and lymph nodes, patients with seminal vesicle invasion continue to have low biochemical recurrence-free survival. Advanced clinical stage, intermediate or high risk Gleason sum at pathological evaluation and positive surgical margins predict biochemical recurrence. High risk clinical stage and Gleason sum predict metastasis-free and cancer specific survival.

Saudi Oncology Society clinical management guidelines for prostate cancer

In this report, guidelines for the evaluation, medical and surgical management of testicular germ cell tumors is presented. It is categorized according to the stage of the disease using the tumor node metastasis staging system, 7th edition. The recommendations are presented with supporting level of evidence.

Stromal cell-derived factor-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor as biomarkers for lymph node metastasis and poor cancer-specific survival in prostate cancer patients after radical prostatectomy

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to analyze the clinicopathologic significance of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression in human prostate cancer (CaP), and their involvement in the prognosis of CaP.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression of SDF-1, VEGF, and MMP-9 were measured using immunohistochemistry in 148 CaP patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for clinically localized disease and in 10 samples of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

RESULTS

In the CaP group, VEGF and MMP-9 were more strongly expressed in the tumor cells compared with the BPH group. High intensity SDF-1, VEGF, and MMP-9 stains in tumor areas strongly correlated with lymph node metastasis, pathologic stage, and differentiation. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that SDF-1, VEGF, and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors for prostate cancer-specific survival. High levels of MMP-9, pathologic stage, and differentiation were associated with prostate cancer-specific survival in univariate analysis but the risk estimate was not significant in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

High expression levels of SDF-1, VEGF, and MMP-9 are more correlated with lymph node metastatic prostate carcinoma compared with non-lymph-node metastatic cancer. High expression levels of SDF-1 and VEGF strongly predict the biochemical progression in CaP patients after radical prostatectomy.

Utilization and expense of adjuvant cancer therapies following radical prostatectomy

BACKGROUND

We sought to identify the costs of adjuvant therapies following radical prostatectomy (RP) and factors associated with their receipt.

METHODS

We used SEER-Medicare data from 2004-2006 to identify 4247 men who underwent RP, of whom 600 subsequently received adjuvant therapies. We used Cox regression to identify factors associated with receipt of adjuvant therapies. Health care expenditures within 12 months of diagnosis were compared for RP alone versus RP with adjuvant therapies.

RESULTS

Biopsy Gleason score, prostate-specific antigen, risk group, and SEER region were significantly associated with receipt of adjuvant treatments (all P<.001). Higher surgeon volume was associated with lower odds of receiving adjuvant therapies (hazard ratio [HR], 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46-0.78 [P<.001]). Factors associated with increased receipt of adjuvant therapies were positive surgical margins (HR, 3.02; 95% CI, 2.55-3.57 [P<.001]), high-risk group versus low-risk group (HR, 7.65; 95% CI, 5.64-10.37 [P<.001]), lymph node-positive disease (HR, 5.36; 95% CI, 3.71-7.75 [P<.001]), and treatment in Iowa (HR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.12-3.32 [P = .019]) and New Mexico/Georgia/Hawaii (HR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.09-3.39 [P = .025]) versus San Francisco SEER regions (baseline). Age, race, comorbidities, and surgical approach were not associated with use of adjuvant therapies. The median expenditures attributable to postprostatectomy hormonal therapy, radiation therapy, and radiation with hormonal therapy versus were $1361, $12,040, and $23,487.

CONCLUSIONS

Men treated by high-volume surgeons were less likely to receive adjuvant therapies. Regional variation and high-risk disease characteristics were associated with increased receipt of adjuvant therapies, which increased health care expenditures by 2- to 3-fold when radiotherapy was administered.

Long-term risk of clinical progression after biochemical recurrence following radical prostatectomy: the impact of time from surgery to recurrence

BACKGROUND

The natural history of biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) is variable and does not always translate into systemic progression or prostate cancer (PCa) death.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate long-term clinical outcomes of patients with BCR and to determine predictors of disease progression and mortality in these men.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

We reviewed our institutional registry of 14 632 patients who underwent RRP between 1990 and 2006 to identify 2426 men with BCR (prostate-specific antigen [PSA] levels ≥ 0.4 ng/ml) who did not receive neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy. Median follow-up was 11.5 yr after RRP and 6.6 yr after BCR.

INTERVENTION

RRP.

MEASUREMENTS

Patients were grouped into quartiles according to time from RRP to BCR. Survival after BCR was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to analyze clinicopathologic variables associated with systemic progression and death from PCa.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Median systemic progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) had not been reached after 15 yr of follow-up after BCR. Cancer-specific mortality 10 yr after BCR was 9.9%, 9.3%, 7.8%, and 4.7% for patients who experienced BCR <1.2 yr, 1.2-3.1 yr, 3.1-5.9 yr, and >5.9 yr after RRP, respectively (p=0.10). On multivariate analysis, time from RRP to BCR was not significantly associated with the risk of systemic progression (p=0.50) or cancer-specific mortality (p=0.81). Older patient age, increased pathologic Gleason score, advanced tumor stage, and rapid PSA doubling time (DT) predicted systemic progression and death from PCa. Limitations included retrospective design, varied utilization of salvage therapies, and the inclusion of few patients with positive lymph nodes.

CONCLUSIONS

Only a minority of men experience systemic progression and death from PCa following BCR. The decision to institute secondary therapies must balance the risk of disease progression with the cost and morbidity of treatment, independent of time from RRP to BCR.

EAU guidelines on prostate cancer. Part II: Treatment of advanced, relapsing, and castration-resistant prostate cancer

OBJECTIVES

Our aim is to present a summary of the 2010 version of the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines on the treatment of advanced, relapsing, and castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

METHODS

The working panel performed a literature review of the new data emerging from 2007 to 2010. The guidelines were updated, and the levels of evidence (LEs) and/or grades of recommendation (GR) were added to the text based on a systematic review of the literature, which included a search of online databases and bibliographic reviews.

RESULTS

Luteinising hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists are the standard of care in metastatic prostate cancer (PCa). Although LHRH antagonists decrease testosterone without any testosterone surge, their clinical benefit remains to be determined. Complete androgen blockade has a small survival benefit of about 5%. Intermittent androgen deprivation (IAD) results in equivalent oncologic efficacy when compared with continuous androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) in well-selected populations. In locally advanced and metastatic PCa, early ADT does not result in a significant survival advantage when compared with delayed ADT. Relapse after local therapy is defined by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values >0.2 ng/ml following radical prostatectomy (RP) and >2 ng/ml above the nadir after radiation therapy (RT). Therapy for PSA relapse after RP includes salvage RT at PSA levels <0.5 ng/ml and salvage RP or cryosurgical ablation of the prostate in radiation failures. Endorectal magnetic resonance imaging and (11)C-choline positron emission tomography/computed tomography (CT) are of limited importance if the PSA is <2.5 ng/ml; bone scans and CT can be omitted unless PSA is >20 ng/ml. Follow-up after ADT should include screening for the metabolic syndrome and an analysis of PSA and testosterone levels. Treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) includes second-line hormonal therapy, novel agents, and chemotherapy with docetaxel at 75 mg/m(2) every 3 wk. Cabazitaxel as a second-line therapy for relapse after docetaxel might become a future option. Zoledronic acid and denusomab can be used in men with CRPC and osseous metastases to prevent skeletal-related complications.

CONCLUSION

The knowledge in the field of advanced, metastatic, and CRPC is rapidly changing. These EAU guidelines on PCa summarise the most recent findings and put them into clinical practice. A full version is available at the EAU office or online at www.uroweb.org.

Predicting 15-year prostate cancer specific mortality after radical prostatectomy

PURPOSE

Long-term prostate cancer specific mortality after radical prostatectomy is poorly defined in the era of widespread screening. An understanding of the treated natural history of screen detected cancers and the pathological risk factors for prostate cancer specific mortality are needed for treatment decision making.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using Fine and Gray competing risk regression analysis we modeled clinical and pathological data, and followup information on 11,521 patients treated with radical prostatectomy at a total of 4 academic centers from 1987 to 2005 to predict prostate cancer specific mortality. The model was validated on 12,389 patients treated at a separate institution during the same period. Median followup in the modeling and validation cohorts was 56 and 96 months, respectively.

RESULTS

The overall 15-year prostate cancer specific mortality rate was 7%. Primary and secondary Gleason grade 4-5 (each p<0.001), seminal vesicle invasion (p<0.001) and surgery year (p=0.002) were significant predictors of prostate cancer specific mortality. A nomogram predicting 15-year prostate cancer specific mortality based on standard pathological parameters was accurate and discriminating with an externally validated concordance index of 0.92. When stratified by patient age at diagnosis, the 15-year prostate cancer specific mortality rate for pathological Gleason score 6 or less, 3+4, 4+3 and 8-10 was 0.2% to 1.2%, 4.2% to 6.5%, 6.6% to 11% and 26% to 37%, respectively. The 15-year prostate cancer specific mortality risk was 0.8% to 1.5%, 2.9% to 10%, 15% to 27% and 22% to 30% for organ confined cancer, extraprostatic extension, seminal vesicle invasion and lymph node metastasis, respectively. Only 3 of 9,557 patients with organ confined, pathological Gleason score 6 or less cancer died of prostate cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Poorly differentiated cancer and seminal vesicle invasion are the prime determinants of prostate cancer specific mortality after radical prostatectomy. The prostate cancer specific mortality risk can be predicted with remarkable accuracy after the pathological features of prostate cancer are known.

Adjuvant versus salvage radiation therapy for prostate cancer and the risk of death

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether salvage radiation therapy (RT) for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure can provide the same result as adjuvant RT, which decreases the risk of all-cause mortality (ACM) for men with positive margins (R1), or extra-capsular or seminal vesicle extension (pT3).

METHODS

We studied 1638 men at Duke University who underwent radical prostatectomy for unfavourable-risk prostate cancer and whose postoperative PSA was undetectable. Cox regression was used to evaluate whether salvage vs adjuvant RT in men with a rapid (<10 months) or slow (≥10 months) PSA doubling time (DT) was associated with the risk of ACM, adjusting for adverse features (pT3, R1, Gleason score 8-10), age, preoperative PSA level, comorbidity and hormonal therapy use.

RESULTS

Despite fewer men with two or more adverse features (61 vs 82%; P=0.016), salvage for a rapid PSA DT vs adjuvant RT increased the risk of ACM [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR)=3.42; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.27-9.20; P=0.015]. There was no difference (AHR=1.39; 95% CI=0.50-3.90; P=0.53) in the risk of ACM among men who received salvage for a slow PSA DT or adjuvant RT. Nearly all (90%) men with a slow PSA DT had Gleason score ≤7 and the majority (59%) had at most pT3 or R1 disease.

CONCLUSION

Radiation therapy after PSA failure as compared with adjuvant RT was not associated with an increased risk of ACM in men with Gleason score ≤7 and pT3R0 or pT2R1 disease.

What is the optimal management of high risk, clinically localized prostate cancer?

OBJECTIVES

To summarize the presentations and debate regarding the optimal treatment of localized high-risk prostate cancer as presented at the 2009 Spring Meeting of the Society of Urologic Oncology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The debate was centered on presentations arguing for radical prostatectomy (RP) or radiotherapy as the optimal treatment for this condition. The meeting presentations are summarized by their respective presenters herein.

RESULTS

Dr. James Eastham presents the varied definitions for "high-risk" prostate cancer as strongly influencing which patients end up in this cohort. Based upon this, between 3% and 38% of patients with high-risk features could be defined as "high-risk". Despite that, these men do not have a uniformly poor prognosis after RP, and attention to surgical principles as outlined improve outcomes. Disease-specific survival at 12 years is excellent and up to one-half of these men may not need adjuvant or salvage therapies, depending on their specific disease characteristics. Adjuvant or salvage radiotherapies improve outcomes and are part of a sequential approach to treating these patients. Dr. Anthony Zietman presented radiotherapy as the gold-standard based upon large, randomized clinical trials of intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer patients. Compared with androgen deprivation alone, the addition of radiotherapy provided a 12% cancer-specific survival advantage and 10% overall survival advantage. Dose escalation seems to confer further improvements in cancer control without significant escalation of toxicities, with more data forthcoming.

CONCLUSIONS

There are no randomized trials comparing RP to radiotherapy for any risk category. In high-risk prostate cancer patients, both approaches have potential benefits and cumulative toxicities that must be matched to disease characteristics and patient expectations in selecting a treatment course.

Early hypofractionated salvage radiotherapy for postprostatectomy biochemical recurrence

BACKGROUND

Postprostatectomy adjuvant or salvage radiotherapy, when using standard fractionation, requires 6.5 to 8 weeks of treatment. The authors report on the safety and efficacy of an expedited radiotherapy course for salvage prostate radiotherapy.

METHODS

A total of 108 consecutive patients were treated with salvage radiation therapy to 65 grays (Gy) in 26 fractions of 2.5 Gy. Median follow-up was 32.4 months. Median presalvage prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was 0.44 (range, 0.05-9.50). Eighteen (17%) patients received androgen deprivation after surgery or concurrently with radiation.

RESULTS

The actuarial freedom from biochemical failure for the entire group at 4 years was 67% ± 5.3%. An identical 67% control rate was seen at 5 years for the first 50 enrolled patients, whose median follow-up was longer at 43 months. One acute grade 3 genitourinary toxicity occurred, with no acute grade 3 gastrointestinal and no late grade 3 toxicities observed. On univariate analysis, higher Gleason score (P = .006), PSA doubling time ≤12 months (P = .03), perineural invasion (P = .06), and negative margins (P = .06) showed association with unsuccessful salvage. On multivariate analysis, higher Gleason score (P = .057) and negative margins (P = .088) retained an association with biochemical failure.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypofractionated radiotherapy (65 Gy in 2.5 Gy fractions in about 5 weeks) reduces the length of treatment by from 1-½ to 3 weeks relative to other treatment schedules commonly used, produces low rates of toxicity, and demonstrates encouraging efficacy at 4 to 5 years. Hypofractionation may provide a convenient, resource-efficient, and well-tolerated salvage approach for the estimated 20,000 to 35,000 US men per year experiencing biochemical recurrence after prostatectomy.

Long-term overall survival and metastasis-free survival for men with prostate-specific antigen-recurrent prostate cancer after prostatectomy: analysis of the Center for Prostate Disease Research National Database

OBJECTIVE

• To describe metastasis-free survival (MFS) and overall survival (OS) among men with prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-recurrent prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy who did not receive additional therapy until metastasis, using a multicentre database capturing a wide ethnic mix.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

• A retrospective analysis of the Center for Prostate Disease Research National Database (comprised of five US military hospitals and one civilian centre) was performed for patients with PSA relapse (≥ 0.2 ng/mL) after radical prostatectomy who had no additional therapy until the time of radiographic metastatic disease. • We investigated factors influencing metastasis and all-cause mortality using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

• There were a total of 346 men who underwent radical prostatectomy between May 1983 and November 2008 and fulfilled the entry criteria. All patients had information on survival and 190 men had information on metastasis. Among patients with survival data (n= 346), 10-year OS was 79% after a median follow-up of 8.6 years from biochemical recurrence. • Among men with metastasis data (n= 190), 10-year MFS was 46% after a median follow-up of 7.5 years. • In Cox regressions, four clinical factors (Gleason score, pathological stage, time to PSA relapse and PSA doubling time), as well as age, were predictive of OS and/or MFS in univariate analysis, although only PSA doubling time (≥ 9 vs 3-8.9 vs <3 months) remained independently predictive of these outcomes in multivariate analysis (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

• This multicentre multi-ethnic dataset shows that OS and MFS can be extensive for men with PSA-recurrent prostate cancer, even in the absence of further therapy before metastasis. • This unique patient cohort, the second largest of its type after the Johns Hopkins cohort, confirms that PSA doubling time is the strongest determinant of OS and MFS in men with PSA-recurrent disease. • Longer follow-up and more events will be required to determine whether other variables may also contribute to these outcomes.

Contemporary treatment of high-risk localized prostate cancer

High-risk prostate cancer poses a significant challenge to the treating physician and much debate exists regarding the ideal treatment approach. The purpose of this article is to enable physicians to identify patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer and evaluate whether monotherapy is sufficient for these patients. We review the current data on use of surgery, radiation therapy and hormonal therapy independently and in combination. We also discuss emerging therapeutics for high-risk disease including neoadjuvant chemotherapy and protocols under current and future investigation.