Set-up error for conformal radiotherapy of prostate cancer

A reappraisal of the role of vesicourethral anastomosis biopsy in patient candidates for salvage radiation therapy after radical prostatectomy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To investigate the usefulness of vesicourethral anastomotic biopsy (VUBx) in patients who are candidates for salvage radiotherapy (SalvRT) after radical prostatectomy (RRP).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

From 1992 to 2001, 98 patients with a PSA failure (PSAf) after RRP underwent SalvRT to the prostatic bed (median dose 70 Gy). In 50/98 patients the VUBx was positive, in 26 negative; 22 patients underwent SalvRT without a prior VUBx. The prognostic impact on biochemical disease-free survival (bNEDs) of histologic confirmation of the local failure was evaluated retrospectively.

RESULTS

In the 40 patients with pre-RT PSA < or = 0.9 ng/mL, no additional prognostic information derived from the VUBx, while, for higher PSA values, a positive histology resulted as a covariate independently predictive of post-RT outcome (5-year bNEDs: 74% vs 42% in the 35 and 23 patients with a positive or negative/not performed VUBx, respectively, P=.03), together with pT, pre-RT PSA < or = 1.5 ng/mL, and PSA doubling time.

CONCLUSIONS

In case of PSAf after RRP, VUBx before SalvRT seems unnecessary for PSA < or = 0.9 ng/mL. For higher values, a positive VUBx seems to always justify a SalvRT, which may not be recommendable, given the nonnegligible risk of an already micrometastatic disease, if the biopsy results are negative.

Role of postoperative radiotherapy after pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical retropubic prostatectomy: a single institute experience of 415 patients

PURPOSE

To evaluate the clinical benefit deriving from early (within 6 months) radiotherapy (ERT) after pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical retropubic prostatectomy for localized/locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the prostate in a single-institution series.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

We retrospectively analyzed 415 patients who underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical retropubic prostatectomy between 1986 and 1998 for pT2b-pT4, pN0-pN1 prostate carcinoma. Of the 415 patients, 237 underwent ERT for adverse pathologic findings and 178 patients did not receive RT or underwent salvage RT < or =6 months (salvage or no RT [SNRT]).

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 62 months, the 8-year actuarial freedom from biochemical, local and systemic failure, and cause-specific survival rate was 69% vs. 31% (p <0.0001, log-rank), 93% vs. 63% (p <0.0001), 88% vs. 75% (p = 0.04), and 93% vs. 80% (p = 0.02) in the ERT and SNRT group, respectively. A subgroup analysis indicated that an improvement in 8-year actuarial cause-specific survival was associated with ERT in patients with positive resection margins (91% vs. 67%, p = 0.007), extracapsular extension (92% vs. 75%, p = 0.002), Gleason score > or =7 (88% vs. 72%, p = 0.02), and lymph node metastases (88% vs. 68%, p = 0.04). This strong association between ERT and cause-specific survival persisted at multivariate analysis in the whole group of patients examined (hazard ratio, 4.3) and in the subgroups of patients with extracapsular extension (hazard ratio, 4.9), positive resection margins (hazard ratio, 4.7), Gleason score > or =7 (hazard ratio, 4.4), and lymph node metastases (hazard ratio, 7.4).

CONCLUSION

The results of this retrospective analysis indicate that ERT after pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical retropubic prostatectomy improved the 5-year and actuarial 8-year cause-specific survival of patients with adverse pathologic findings such as extracapsular extension, positive resection margins, Gleason score > or =7, and/or positive lymph nodes.

[Conformal radiotherapy in prostate cancer: for whom and how?]

External radiotherapy is one of the modalities used to cure localized prostate carcinoma. Most of localized prostate carcinomas, specially those of the intermediate prognostic group, may benefit from escalated dose above 70 Gy at least as regard biochemical and clinical relapse free survival. 3D-CRT allows a reduction of the dose received by organs at risk and an increase of prostate dose over 70 Gy. It is on the way to become a standard. Intensity modulated radiation therapy increases dose homogeneity and reduces rectal dose. These methods necessitate rigorous procedures in reproducibility, delineation of volumes, dosimetry, daily treatment. They need also technological and human means. It is clear that localized prostate cancer is a good example for evaluation of these new radiotherapy modalities.