Carcinoma of the prostate: race as a prognostic indicator in definitive radiation therapy.

Abstract

To characterize the racial differences in prognostic factors and treatment outcome for patients undergoing radiation therapy for carcinoma of the prostate. From January 1975 through December 1989, 489 white and 157 black men with carcinoma of the prostate underwent irradiation. Factors analyzed were patient age, tumor stage and grade, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and disease-control and survival rates. More black patients than white patients were found to have poorly differentiated tumors. Black patients had higher PSA levels before and after treatment, resulting in a higher distant failure rate and poorer overall, cause-specific, and disease-free survival rates. Black men have more aggressive prostatic tumors, a higher rate of metastasis, and a poorer survival rate than do white men.