Predictive factors of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy for high-risk prostate cancer.

This study aimed to identify risk factors of recurrence after prostatectomy in high risk patients. Patients with more risk factors were more likely to experience disease recurrence at five years.

Prostatectomy is a treatment option for prostate cancer. The prostate tumor is surgically removed. There are several risk factors that can be used to define a patient at high risk of their cancer recurring. These include the initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA), Gleason score and cancer spread to the seminal vesicles, to organs surrounding the prostate or into the ducts in the prostate. PSA is a protein produced by the prostate and its levels are elevated in patients with prostate cancer. It can be used as a marker for disease progression. The Gleason score describes the microscopic appearance of the cancer cells and can indicate the aggressiveness of the cancer.  

It is unclear which of those risk factors give the best indication for cancer recurrence. 

191 high risk patients were included in this study. The number of risk factors in each patient, described above, were noted. 

Patients with more risk factors were more likely to experience disease recurrence at five years. Five year recurrence-free survival rates in patients who had three risk factors was 28.8%, compared to 92.9% in patients with no risk factors. One risk factor had 70.7% five year recurrence rates and two risk factors was associated with 38.3% five year recurrence rates. For patients with four or more risk factors, the biochemical recurrence-free survival was 6.1% after 18 months. 

This study concluded that patients with more risk factors were more likely to experience disease recurrence at five years.

Different treatments can affect these five year recurrence rates. This study focused on surgery.