In a nutshell
This study evaluated the effectiveness of salvage radiotherapy (RT) in patients with recurrence of prostate cancer (PCa) after prostate surgery. The study found that salvage RT was effective in the management of PCa recurrence with manageable side effects.
Some background
Localized prostate cancer (PCa) is a form of cancer that has not spread beyond the prostate gland. PCa can be treated by surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy. Radical prostatectomy (RP) surgically removes the prostate and the surrounding tissues in patients with PCa.
Almost 15-40% of men who undergo RP experience biochemical recurrence (BCR). BCR is a rise in the blood level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA; a protein made by cells of the prostate gland) after treatment with surgery. Salvage RT is usually performed after RP to prevent BCR. However, whether salvage RT was effective in patients with BCR in the prostate bed (the place where the prostate was before surgery) after RP is not known.
Methods & findings
This study included 89 patients with recurrence in the prostatectomy bed. Patients were treated with salvage RT plus hormone therapy or salvage RT alone. The average follow-up time was 53.7 months.
The overall survival (OS) rate was 90.2% at 5-years and 69.8% at 8-years. The average time without BCR was 60.1 months. After 5-years, 50.8% of the patients were free from BCR.
11.2% of the patients had metastatic recurrence (cancer returning far away from the prostate bed). None of the patients experienced any severe side effects.
The bottom line
This study concluded that salvage RT was effective in patients with BCR after RP, with manageable side effects.
The fine print
This study looked back in time at medical records. This study was conducted at a single medical institution.
Published By :
Frontiers in oncology
Date :
May 04, 2021
