20-year outcome of patients with T1-3N0 surgically staged prostate cancer treated with external beam radiation therapy.

Abstract

Patients with surgically staged localized prostate cancer treated with external beam radiation therapy were retrospectively analyzed for 15 and 20-year overall and cause specific survival. The need for additional therapy was also evaluated. We analyzed 145 patients who received external beam radiotherapy after negative staging pelvic lymphadenectomy. Followup data were available for 129 patients. Overall and cause specific survival was calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Median followup was 14.9 years. Actuarial overall survival at 15 and 20 years was 45.9% and 24.6%, respectively. Cause specific survival at 15 and 20 years was 64.5% and 37.7% for having all patients dying of unknown causes censored, and 54.4% and 30.1% for those dying of unknown causes categorized as having prostate cancer, respectively. Of the patients who survived 47% were on hormonal therapy. Longer followup after external beam radiation therapy continues to demonstrate a decrease in cause specific survival. Many patients ultimately require hormonal therapy.