External beam radiotherapy in elderly patients with clinically localized prostate adenocarcinoma: age is not a problem

Localized prostate cancer in older patients: Radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy versus observation

INTRODUCTION

This study evaluates the effects of radical prostatectomy (RP) or irradiation on overall survival (OS) and prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) in older patients with localized prostate cancer (PC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive literature review across PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from inception up to December 2023 to identify studies comparing the outcomes of surgery or radiotherapy (RT) versus observation in patients aged 65 and older with localized PC. We pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for OS and PCSM using random-effects models.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies involving 284,066 patients were analyzed. Three were large randomized trials (RCTs) and 10 were retrospective studies. Overall survival with surgery was greater in observational studies (HR = 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.47-0.59; P < 0.001) than in RCTs (HR = 0.84, 95%CI 0.72-0.98; P = 0.03). Data on PCSM from seven studies also indicated a significant benefit for RP in RCTs (HR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.3-0.73; P < 0.001) and observational studies (HR = 0.41, 95%CI 0.27-0.62; P < 0.001). Both analyses presented high heterogeneity (I2 = 90%, P < 0.001 and I2 = 65%, P = 0.01). An analysis of patients receiving RT indicated a significant, albeit smaller, OS (n = 7 studies) and PCSM (n = 5 studies) advantage (HR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.59-0.79; P < 0.001; and HR = 0.60; 95% CI 0.44-0.82; P = 0.001) compared to observation (1 RCT and 8 observational studies).

DISCUSSION

The evidence suggests that patients with PC might consider opting for surgery as the main treatment option or, alternatively, for RT, as an alternative to observation, based on their individual medical history, life expectancy, and preferences.

Irradiation of localized prostate cancer in the elderly: A systematic literature review

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Oncological benefit for elderly patients with optimal treatment.

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Elderly patients often received inadequate treatment.

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Elderly comorbidities can influence oncological outcomes and treatment tolerance.

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Optimal curative treatment after oncogeriatric assessment.

Purpose

To analyze the literature that addresses radiation therapy for intermediate and high-risk prostate cancer (PC) in the elderly.

Patients and methods

A PubMed literature search was conducted including articles from 01/01/2000 to 30/06/21, with the following keywords: PC, radiotherapy/brachytherapy and elderly. The analysis mainly focused on the issue of under-treatment in the elderly and the benefit/risk balance of irradiation.

Results

Of the 176 references analyzed, 24 matched the selection criteria. The definition of “elderly patient” varied from 70 to 80 years. The analysis was impacted by the inhomogeneous primary end points used in each cohort. Age was often an obstacle to radical treatment, with a subsequent risk of under-treatment, particularly in patients with a poorer prognosis. However, comparable elderly oncological outcomes were compared to younger patients, both with external beam radiotherapy alone or combined with brachytherapy boost. Late toxicity rates are low and most often comparable to younger populations. However, a urinary over- toxicity was observed in the super-elderly (>80 years) after brachytherapy boost. The use of ADT should be considered in light of comorbidities, and may even be deleterious in some patients.

Conclusion

Due to the increase in life expectancy, the management of PC in the elderly is a challenge for patients, clinicians and health insurance payers. Except for unfit men, elderly patients remain candidates for optimal curative treatment (i.e. regardless of age) after oncogeriatric assessment. More solid data from prospective trials conducted specially in this population will provide better guidance in our daily clinical practice.

High-Dose-Rate brachytherapy boost for elderly patients with intermediate to high-risk prostate cancer: 5-year clinical outcome of the PROSTAGE cohort

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Intermediate/high risk elderly prostate cancer benefits less from received standards of care.

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Age is an independent factor for disease control and tolerance.

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Brachytherapy boost remains efficient and feasible in the elderly.

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Careful discussion for super elderly patients (>80 y) is warranted.

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Oncogeriatric assessment is necessary to identify best candidates.

Purpose

To analyze the oncological outcome in elderly (>70 years) prostate cancer after high-dose rate brachytherapy (HDB) boost.

Materials/methods

In this retrospective study, patients with intermediate (IR) and high-risk (HR) prostate cancer underwent external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) followed by HDB boost with/without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The impact of age (≤70y vs. > 70y) was investigated. Oncological outcome focused on biochemical relapse-free survival (bRFS), cause-specific (CSS) and overall survival (OS). Late genito-urinary (GU) and gastro-intestinal (GI) toxicities were investigated.

Results

From 07/08 to 01/22, 518 pts received a HDB boost, and 380 were analyzed (≤70y:177pts [46.6%] vs. > 70y:203pts [53.4%]). Regarding NCCN classification, 98 pts (≤70y: 53pts; >70y: 45pts; p = 0.107) and 282 pts (≤70y: 124pts; >70y: 158pts; p = NS) were IR and HR pts respectively. Median EBRT dose was 46 Gy [37.5–46] in 23 fractions [14–25]. HDB boost delivered a single fraction of 14/15 Gy (79%). ADT was used in 302 pts (≤70y: 130pts; >70y: 172pts; p = 0.01). With MFU of 72.6 months [67–83] for the whole cohort, 5-y bRFS, 5-y CSS and 5-y OS were 88% [85–92], 99% [97–100] and 94% [92–97] respectively; there was no statistical difference between the two age groups except for 5-y CSS (p = 0.05). Late GU and GI toxicity rates were 32.4% (G ≥ 3 7.3%) and 10.1% (no G3) respectively.

Conclusions

For IR and HR prostate cancers, HDB boost leads to high rates of disease control with few late G ≥ 3 GU/GI toxicities. For elderly pts, HDB boost remains warranted mainly in HR pts, while competing comorbidity factors influence OS.

Challenges of managing elderly men with prostate cancer

The incidence of prostate cancer increases with age. Current evidence suggests that prostate cancer is under treated in patients aged ≥70 years, despite evidence of efficacy and acceptable toxicity. Radical cystectomy and definitive radiotherapy are often denied owing to fears of post-operative complications and radiotherapy-associated gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicity. However, modern radical prostatectomy techniques provide excellent clinical outcomes with low perioperative morbidity. Moreover, volume-restricted intensity-modulated radiation therapy is a significant improvement over previous 2D conformal radiotherapy with similar efficacy and lower toxicity. Androgen-deprivation therapy is also under-prescribed among the elderly, owing to concerns of increases in cardiac deaths and osteoporosis acceleration. However, prospective trials have not identified any increase in cardiovascular mortality among elderly men receiving androgen-deprivation therapy compared to age-matched controls. Most patients on androgen deprivation eventually progress to a castration-resistant state. At this stage, the disease still responds to newer agents that target the androgen pathway and to chemotherapy. Among the elderly, chemotherapy is under-prescribed even though it has been demonstrated to be palliative and improve survival. We describe the trends in prostate cancer management in the elderly and the importance of assessing comorbidity status, tumour characteristics, and health status, including a complete geriatric evaluation, before making treatment recommendations.

[Prostate cancer: what role for curative radiotherapy in elderly?]

PURPOSE

Discuss the place of radiotherapy given in a curative intent in elderly patients with localised prostate cancer according to complications, local control, survival observed in a specific and a review of the literature.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The cohort consisted of 65 males aged 80 or more with localised prostate cancer who choose radiotherapy as a curative modality. Twelve radiotherapy centres affiliated to the Rare Cancer Network participated to the study. The retrospective analysis was carried out on immediate and late side-effects, biological free of relapse survival and global survival. Multivariate analysis took into account the comorbidities, the initial prostatic specific antigen (PSA) value, the Gleason score and the therapeutic modalities.

RESULTS

From January 1990 to December 2000, 65 patients were included into the cohort. Mean age was 81 years. The specific series consisted of 10 T1, 40 T2 and 15 T3 N0M0. Median follow up was 65 months. Immediate and late complications were comparable to those described in younger patients who received a similar irradiation. There were no negative impact of the treatment on disease free survival and global survival. Recent literature did suggest analogous results.

CONCLUSIONS

Radiation therapy with a curative intent should not be systematically withheld in elderly patients with localised prostate cancer.

Curative external beam radiotherapy in patients over 80 years of age with localized prostate cancer: a retrospective rare cancer network study

PURPOSE

To analyse tolerance and outcome of patients over 80 years of age who choose external beam radiation therapy to the prostate as a curative treatment.

METHODS AND MATERIAL

We evaluated acute and late side effects, biological DFS (bDFS) and actuarial survival as well as causes of death in relation to the clinical status including co-morbidity, PSA value, Gleason score and modalities of external radiotherapy in patients with localised prostate cancer >80 years of age.

RESULTS

From January 1990 to December 2000, 65 eligible cases (median age: 81) were treated by 12 different participating institutions in the Rare Cancer Network. Tumour stage was T1N0M0, T2N0M0 and T3N0M0 for 10, 40, and 15 patients, respectively. Median follow-up was 65 months (range 22-177). Five-year overall survival rate was 77% with a 5-year bDFS rate of 73%. The incidence of grade 3 early toxicity was 12% and 9% for urinary and digestive tract, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Radiation therapy given with curative intent is well tolerated in this selected group of patients aged over 80 years with localised prostate cancer. Results in terms of survival do not suggest a deleterious impact of this treatment. Therefore the authors recommend that radiation therapy with curative intent should not be withheld in selected elderly patients with localised prostate cancer.

[Is geriatric assessment adapted to radiotherapy?]

Cancer in the elderly represents a major public health topic and its importance will increase in the future because of increased life expectancy and ageing. Cancer prognosis is worse due to late diagnosis, frequent comorbidities and treatment often considered as suboptimal. Reference treatments were primarily validated for younger or selected elderly patients and experimental data collected on most vulnerable are rare. Oncogeriatrics development for 15 years made it possible to consider two fundamental aspects, which are the geriatric evaluation, from the most simple to the complete one, and the development of specific trials. In addition, a strong institutional policy allowed promotion, on the French national territory, of regional experiments thanks to Pilot Units of Oncogeriatrics Coordination (UPCOG). The question of the interest of a geriatric evaluation in radiotherapy is related mainly to the difficulties of tolerance and observance of this treatment, but also with its effectiveness and this review explores the main curative, adjuvant and palliative indications as well as research perspectives.

Radiation therapy in the elderly

The purpose of this review is to highlight aspects of radiation oncology specifically related to aging and caring for the older patient with cancer. Particular emphasis is placed on the preclinical and clinical studies focusing on the efficacy and toxicity of RT in this population. Special techniques are also reviewed that have particular relevance to the treatment of the elderly.

3D conformal radiation therapy for prostate cancer in elderly patients

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate if conformal radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer with doses of 70 Gy is well tolerated in patients aged 75 years or older, and if the side effects and the biochemical recurrence free (bNED) survival are comparable to younger patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eighty patients>or=75 years received definitive conformal radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Acute and late side effects as well as bNED survival (ASTRO criteria) were compared to 221 patients younger than 75 years who were treated during the same period of time.

RESULTS

Median dose to the prostate was 70 Gy in both groups. There were no significant differences in acute or late side effects between age groups. The frequency of grade III late symptoms was low and ranged between 0 and 4% for the evaluated symptoms irrespective of age group. Older patients had a better bNED survival than younger patients (bNED survival at 4 years: 76 vs. 61%, P=0.042).

CONCLUSIONS

High-dose conformal radiation therapy for prostate cancer is well tolerated in patients aged 75 years or older. In terms of bNED survival radiation treatment is at least as effective as it is for younger patients.

Analysis of influence of age on acute and chronic radiotherapy toxicity in treatment of prostate cancer

OBJECTIVES

To provide a single-institution analysis of the influence of age on acute and late genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity after radiotherapy (RT) administered in different prostate cancer scenarios. Improved understanding of the influence of age on toxicity outcome after RT for prostate cancer can assist in treatment decision-making.

METHODS

The records of 527 consecutive nonmetastatic patients receiving RT at a single institution and for whom demographic, disease, treatment, and follow-up information were available were reviewed. The cohort was divided into four major categories as a function of age: younger than 60 years, 60 to 69 years, 70 to 74 years, and 75 years and older. The toxicity rates in each of these categories were tabulated according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group toxicity scales and compared using the chi-square test. Additionally, an ordered logit regression analysis was performed for each of these categories using all major patient, disease, and treatment factors.

RESULTS

The toxicity rates were not significantly different as a function of age for either acute GU (P = 0.10) or acute GI (P = 0.19) toxicity or for either late GU (P = 0.22) or late GI (P = 0.09) toxicity. The ordered logit regression analysis showed that age was not a factor that correlated with toxicity in any setting (acute GU, P = 0.44; acute GI, P = 0.55; late GU, P = 0.65; late GI, P = 0.14).

CONCLUSIONS

Patient age did not independently influence GI or GU toxicity after RT for nonmetastatic prostate cancer and should not be used as an independent factor in treatment decision-making or in patient counseling with regard to GI and GU toxicity outcomes after RT.

Impacto de la edad y de la comorbilidad en la supervivencia y toxicidad del paciente con cáncer de próstata irradiado

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

We intended to assess the impact of age on radiation outcome in patients treated for prostate cancer with 2D planning radiation therapy in clinical practice at the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona Radiation Oncology Department.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

One hundred eighty three patients, treated from November 1993 to April 1999, were included. Median follow-up was 41.8 months and median age was 70 years old. Median dose to prostate was 70 Gy. Univariate (Kaplan-Meier with log rank test comparison) and multivariate analysis (Cox's regression models) were done to assess the effect of age on toxicity and to study prognostic factors for disease control, survival and radiation treatment toxicity.

RESULTS

Five years disease free survival probability was 61.94%, with an overall survival probability of 82.83%. Although comorbidity increased significantly with age, reduced overall survival by a factor of 0.4, from 94.85% to 78.55% at 5 years. No differences were seen with regard to age in acute or late toxicity. Five years toxicity free probability was 66.46%.

CONCLUSIONS

Comorbidities decrease life expectancy in prostate cancer patients treated with radiation. Age does not necessarily suppose an increased risk of late toxicity for selected patients.

Radical radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer in elderly

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer is an age related neoplasm, with high incidence in the group of elderly man. The correct management must to be balanced between the benefits of the treatment and its disadvantages. Radiotherapy as definitive treatment is commonly reserved for older patients and patients with high surgical risk and is widely used as a treatment of choice.

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine the role of radical radiotherapy for localized prostate carcinoma in patients 70 years age or older concerning treatment morbidity, local control, disease free and overall survival.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A clinical prospective non-randomized study was performed including 103 elderly patients with an age 70 or above, between January 1991 and April 2005, at the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia. Median age of patients was 74,89 years (range 70- 80 years). Stage distribution was as follows: stage A--3 patients (2.9%), stage B--69 patients (67%) and stage C--31 patients (30.1%). Out of 103 patients, initial PSA value was noted in 87 patients. The mean value of initial PSA was 18,06 ng/ml. Radical radiotherapy was conducted on megavoltage linear accelerators with high energy photons (10, 18 MeV) and total tumor dose of 65 Gy.

RESULTS

Low grade acute complications were registered in 70 patients (65%). Mean follow up time was 40, 13 months. The disease outcome at the last follow up show that 79 patients (76.7%) had no evidence of disease and 24 patients (23.3%) relapsed. Overall survival rates were 65, 29% and 44, 52% and disease free survival 66, 59% and 63, 26% at 5 and 10 years. Disease specific survival was at 5 and 10 years 73,32% and 65, 42% respectively. Late sequelas (gradus I and II) are registered in 22 patients (21.36%), out of 103.

CONCLUSION

Radical radiotherapy for localized carcinoma of the prostate is effective treatment option in elderly patients with good local control, present treatment tolerance providing good quality of life and long-term cure.